


Cornerstone

by schumie



Category: Persona 4
Genre: Explicit Sexual Content, F/F, M/M, Rough Sex, dark souji, overall manwhoring
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-07-12
Updated: 2016-01-23
Packaged: 2017-11-09 19:39:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Underage
Chapters: 10
Words: 57,692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/457633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/schumie/pseuds/schumie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Souji is sent to live in Inaba after a run-in with Tokyo police, he can't wait to get the hell out of the small town. But things seem to keep getting in his way. Pretty soon he finds himself unwillingly wrapped up in a murder mystery while juggling multiple personal problems. Like the fact that he's undoubtedly physically attracted to his clueless best friend who doesn't return the affections. And the fact that it's driving Souji mad enough to make him start looking at his uncle's subordinate in ways that might not be very healthy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Dance Little Liar

Souji had never even heard of Inaba before he found his things and himself discreetly packed onto a train that would make a two minute stop in the sleepy, discreet town. Discreet. Perfect for sending a troublesome teenager to when you just couldn't be bothered to be a good parent. The ideal place to hide a delinquent son away for a year and avoid any scandal.

Needless to say, the plan had failed. Inaba was so discreet, in fact, that a pop idol had gone there to retire, a news anchor had gone there to vacation, and a serial killer had chosen several town citizens to string upside down off antennae like soggy Christmas ornaments. Souji found the irony funny at first. Send a troublesome kid to a quiet town where idols play and killers lurk. It was even more rich since the entire town seemed to see him as its personal golden boy. But the irony became less entertaining as he found himself starting to adjust to their perceptions of him.

It had started at school, but much earlier really. The plan had been simple. Act perfect, reformed. Do his time in the bumpkin prison and hitch the earliest ride out on parole. Impress his uncle's family with his good behavior to such a degree that his parents would pull him back to tokyo, where he belonged. Only, there hadn't been much of an uncle's family to impress. Just the rough and curt Doujima and the sugar-high little Nanako. The first day he'd been left with her she'd declared herself just fine on her own, turned on the TV, and hummed along to a maddening commercial jingle from hell. It had been so pathetic that he'd found himself making breakfast for her.

No good deed goes unpunished. A breakfast turned into babysitting and trips to the store, then seemed to spread like a rash into advice-giving and morale-boosting for everyone from insecure schoolmates to sad old ladies. He even found himself helping a fox that understood human language. But that was after Souji’s plans went awry. The best laid plans always do.

The first few days went as expected. He laid as low as he could in school and found that he was very good at observing and interpreting the people around him. They were all simple, really. Excited by a new presence from the big city, but he brushed off their questions with just enough response to not seem rude or garner any ill will and the other students got tired of the novelty soon enough. He gave them excuses, sometimes so bad that they sounded like total bullshit even to himself. The students would nod happily, satisfied that he must have things to do that country kids would never understand.

He'd go home after school and watch tv with Nanako until he couldn't take any more magical girl mysteries, then head to bed the minute Doujima came home and Nanako wasn’t alone. It wasn't that he disliked his uncle. Doujima was just gruff and a bit rough around the edges. While he seemed like a “dedicated” worker, he left his young daughter home alone. Souji couldn't help but notice the similarities between Doujima and his own parents. The likeness was enough to keep him from wanting to know any more about his uncle than necessary. Plus, his uncle was a detective. Souji’d never been too fond of the fuzz. And the pigs had caused him enough trouble. Enough to wind him up in Inaba.

Be a good student, lay low, and ask his parents to get him back to Tokyo ASAP. Anything else would just get in the way of his life waiting for him back in Tokyo. Anything else would be unnecessary and a roadblock.

Anything Else made its first appearance when it crashed head-first into a trash can while riding its bike past Souji. Anything Else's name was Yosuke Hanamura and it was loud, colorful, and more than a bit ridiculous.

Souji had observed Hanamura for a brief minute his first day of school and had decided it was enough. As he watched the boy's hands, feet, and ass flail above the trash can Hanamura had landed in, he felt embarrassed for the guy who, no doubt, didn't have enough sense to be embarrassed for himself. Souji thought of leaving the kid be but other people were watching and Souji was unlucky enough to be the closest person. He’d look like a dick if he didn’t help the guy. He couldn’t have girls whispering about how he cruelly left a classmate stranded in a trash receptacle.

Souji sighed, looped his arms around Hanamura's surprisingly bony waist, and pulled. Then had to pull harder. Beginning to feel embarrassed himself, Souji yanked with enough force to pull Hanamura out and nearly sent them both flying. After a few dizzy seconds Hanamura straightened himself out, stood up, and flashed Souji the dumbest and most personable grin Souji had ever seen. It felt like Hanamura was about to try to sell him a car.

"Thanks a lot, man. I think I would've been stuck in that damn thing all day. You're pretty stro--ah! You're the transfer student, right? Er...Souji, right? I'm Hanamura Yosuke," he held out his hand for Souji to shake. Souji felt like telling him that he knew who Hanamura was and where did he get off calling Souji by his first name, but Hanamura just stood there grinning and blushing a bit and Souji found himself thinking it might be a bit fun to have an idiot around. Nice Idiots always knew who was important in town. Souji could use a connection.

"I was a transfer student too, y'know? Last year. So let me know if you need anything."  
That probably nixed the connection idea but, if anything, having Hanamura around would make Souji look better by comparison.

"No problem. Nice to meet you, Yosuke," Souji gave a small smile and squeezed Yosuke's offered hand. He had fun watching the guy turn even redder and followed along thoughtfully while Yosuke wheeled his bike to school, hardly pausing for breath between sentences. And so Something Else Number 1 crashed itself into the trashcan of Souji’s Inaba life.

Yosuke's constant chatter could get grating but after the first few days in Inaba it was almost welcome. The Doujima household was almost as silent as Souji's had been in Tokyo when he was practically the only person living there. Nanako got home from school before Souji but, besides for the low hum of her sentai tv shows or her occasional singing of the Junes department store jingle, the house was otherwise dead. From what Souji could see, Nanako did all of the house chores except making coffee and Doujima left before she was awake and returned home after Souji had sent her to bed. It was enough to drive anyone insane. Souji wondered, as Nanako beamed asked if they could go grocery shopping, if it hadn’t already gotten to the kid.

When Nanako nearly broke into tears one day when Doujima called to say he’d be late for the third time that week, Souji found Anything Else number 2. He'd ignored it thinking what his parents had always drilled into him-- family matters are matters of the family and no one should interfere. Souji watched Nanako plant herself in front of the tv set and diligently wait for her dad to come home, like Hachiko with cable TV. He couldn’t help but wonder if he'd looked the same way when he was her age. The thought disgusted him. Thus he made a habit of asking Nanako to make dinner with him. She'd lit up like a fog light the first time he suggested it half-heartedly and before he could figure out how it had happened, she was calling him 'Big Bro' and greeting him every time he came home. But it was good. Gave him credibility that he would cash in with his parents. And just like that Something Else Number 2 snuck up on him.

As did Number 3, the spunky and comically violent Chie Satonaka and her reserved and beautiful, if a bit loony, best friend (and Number 4) Yukiko Amagi. Those two were easy. The tomboy and the princess. The only complicated thing about them was their relationship. Souji had theories that he didn’t mind thinking about fairly often.

Though he'd veered from his initial plan of lay low, don't let anyone get attached, and don’t get attached to anyone, Souji figured he was still okay and could be friendly with a few people as long as his parents knew he was homesick. Not that they would change their minds due to some supposed emotional attachment to Tokyo. They just had to know that he wasn't causing any form of trouble, he had reformed and was now a reserved and honorable teenage boy who wasn't happy where he was. And that he would relish the chance to exhibit his new-found persona if his parents would only let him come back to tokyo and prove he was a son they would be proud to show off to important people.

It was easy. He would explain that the countryside had calmed him down and made him see the error of his disgraceful ways and, while the people of Inaba had taught him some valuable lessons, they were also simple folk who believed in things like red strings of fate and seeing soul mates in television sets. In fact, that was all the kids at school could talk about and, while his classmates were all very kind, was that the sort of backwards mindset his parents really wanted him exposed to?

It was perfect. He'd be quiet and bland in the letter he would write to them (letters were more formal and reformed than phone calls and had the additional bonus if him not having to actually speak to his parents) and he'd be on the midnight express back to Tokyo within the next week.

it took five minutes for his plan to go to shit. Souji listened from his upstairs room as Doujima spoke to Souji’s mother on the phone. Doujima gruffly remarked on how well-adjusted Souji was and how he'd even made some friends already.

It took no small amount of restraint for Souji to not punch a hole through his door that night. He settled for glaring at his ceiling instead and listening to the rain pour outside. As if the boonies weren't bad enough, Inaba seemed to be cursed with rain and fog that was thicker and drearier than Souji had ever seen. He felt trapped. And pissed. He flexed his fingers open and closed and thought about the kids at school and their willful ignorance. Even Yosuke who complained about the small town didn’t show any efforts to get out of there and never really talked about Tokyo. Souji had dared to hope that he had found someone that could empathize but all he'd gotten were goofy smiles, antics, and embarrassed looks. His other classmates were nice enough but he couldn’t help but look at them and see stupidly happy people.

This thought stuck in Souji's mind and he found himself growing furious. Souji ground his teeth, wanting to be pissed or let down but not having anyone to direct it at. Rain was pouring outside, grating on his ears. He stared around the bare bedroom and his eyes settled on the old TV set. It wasn’t a flatscreen like the one in his room in Tokyo. It probably had crap reception too. He hadn’t even bothered turning it on before. He sat there looking at the round and loppy reflections of the window in it and thought about his classmates. Their stupid rumors, the only thing that gave them anything to talk about.The rumor of the week was about TV. The Twilight channel or something. Midnight. And seeing your one true love on the channel at midnight or something equally retarded.

He thought about how his parents would have scoffed at the rumor and nagged him for thinking about it. He glanced at his clock. It read 11:56pm. Why the hell not? He waited.


	2. Potion Approaching

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Souji and Yosuke face down Yosuke's darker self and Souji finally finds a side of Yosuke that he can relate to.

If Souji’s chances of getting back to Tokyo had dropped when his parents thought he was adjusting well to his hick life in Inaba, they went to zilch when he got arrested. His parents seemed to think the only thing better than keeping Souji in the boonies was to keep him in the boonies with his cop uncle. To get arrested for displaying lethal weapons? He’d better get used to his country life because he wouldn’t live to see anything else if he fucked up again.

It didn’t even matter that Souji hadn’t even been touching a weapon. Yosuke’d been the one waving a full-length sword around in a food court. Even the mere memory of it pissed Souji off now. Where did that idiot get off even thinking something that retarded would be okay?

But the fact of the matter was, Souji was more pissed at himself. For hanging around the type of freak that would do that. But even more for the fact that Souji had actually been laughing at the time. He hadn’t even realized the shit they’d get into because he hadn’t been paying attention. And paying attention was all Souji ever did in Inaba. It was how he tricked people into thinking he cared if they wanted special snacks for their diet or their cat was lost. And he’d let it slip. He’d been almost...excited.

The night when he’d nearly lost his head in the ancient tv in his room had been a very important night. Important because it meant that that podunk town actually had something interesting going on. The murder of the TV journalist had been interesting but nothing special. However, even in Tokyo, people didn’t just insert body parts into television sets. That was interesting.

More importantly, if he could fit in his top half, there was no reason he couldn’t fit in more.

The next day Souji discovered that they (he, Yosuke, and Chie) had all seen a fellow female in the TV, but apparently the other two hadn’t almost fallen in it. Yosuke and Chie had looked at him like he was insane when he told them about the TV in his room almost swallowing him. Which was annoying coming from them. One of them was a martial-arts obsessed tomboy and the other couldn’t ride a bike straight. When they gawked at him after he explained how the rumor they had been telling him about was true, he decided to explain what had happened to them again, talking slowly and with small words. The two stared at him as he finished his story about the midnight channel.

It was just luck that Yosuke’s father happened to run Junes, the local--well, only--department store, which happened to have a very large electronics section, which included large TV’s. It was also just luck that Chie’s family had been looking to get one. It hadn’t been luck that they’d fallen through the TV when Souji had shoved himself partway in and they’d gone to pull him out.

What they’d found on the other side was enough to make Chie freak out and Yosuke dance with the urge to pee. Souji wasn’t quite sure what to think of it all. That feeling only magnified when they’d encountered the giant, talking bear Teddie, that forced them out of the TV world in a frantic way that said it was best they didn’t come back.

Then Saki Konishi went missing. It meant nothing to Souji, but it meant a hell of a lot to Yosuke. And that was interesting to watch.

Souji’d noticed the first day he’d hung out with Yosuke at the Junes food court, that the guy was unnecessarily crazy over one of their fellow Inaba High students. Yosuke’d been like a puppy in love. A kicked on. Souji hadn’t seen that kind of attention displayed in anyone since he’d been in elementary school. He watched as Youske’s eyes followed Saki as she walked away with some friends. It’d taken a while, but Yosuke’d finally realized Souji was watching and had turned a pathetic shade of red. He acted weird for a while until given an excuse to fight with Chie over her ordering food on his tab.

When Konishi went missing, the only person at school who seemed to notice was Yosuke. He wouldn’t shut up about how she hadn’t showed up for her last shift at Junes and what if something had happened to her or what if she’d actually ran away with that dude, but no, no way, Saki wasn’t that type of girl, right?

It had annoyed Souji. Especially the way Youske’d said all of this a million miles an hour while not even bothering to hide how hard he was blushing.

Turned out something had happened to Konishi. She’d wound up dead, strung up like the TV journalist only days after having been interviewed about the journalist’s death. Irony is a bitch. Yosuke didn’t agree. Souji hadn’t been in Inaba for any length of time but the people there were easy to understand, especially Yosuke. The guy had gone from bouncy, whining, and spastic to damn near mute in the span of one day. Yosuke tended to bug Souji, leaning backwards in his chair to steal answers from Souji’s worksheets, but that day he didn’t speak once let alone even look at anyone. Souji bypassed basketball practice to walk home with Yosuke partway. Yosuke hardly said a word at all. Souji actually found himself annoyed. Enough to actually break the silence that he would have found scared at any other time. It wasn’t that he hadn’t expected Yosuke would act this way, he was just surprised by actually seeing the guy so low.

“So...you liked Konishi a lot,” he offered.

Yosuke glanced sideways quickly at Souji and nodded, his bike wobbling a bit at his side.

“Yeah. She was great. Nice, pretty. She had that great curled hair. And she was really good with the cust--cust--the cuomers.”  
And then he’d started to cry but had wiped away with his hands, alternating between holding his bike up, and Souji hadn’t really felt like asking more. This did not fit into his plans. But then Yosuke had broken the silence of his own accord then.

“That was Saki on the Midnight Channel. I know it. We gotta go back in,” and he’d said it in a way that made it clear there was no questioning him. He was resolved and no one could stop him.

Souji placed a hand on Yosuke’s shoulder and Yosuke jumped at the sudden touch. He glanced up quickly at Souji, then back down, and a bit of red spread across his cheeks. Souji marked the reaction and squeezed his fingers a little tighter around Yosuke’s shoulder, watching the pink darken.

“I understand,” Souji said in as plain and gentle tone he could muster. He thought he did a pretty good job of it.

It was perfect, really, this stupid kid deciding to take on the hero act. Souji’d been planning to go back to the TV world anyway, and having an extra person along would be safer. Let Yosuke think he’d made the daring decision.

That time, he’d gone into the TV world with only Yosuke. That was...an experience. One he wouldn’t forget.

The look on Yosuke’s face when Konishi’s voice began talking about what a pain in the ass Yosuke had been was something to see. It’d melted from determined to desparate in half a minute. Souji had never experienced rejection anywhere close to that and he was a bit disgusted to find himself feeling bad for Yosuke. It was hard not to when his face was screwed up with anger and tears but he was gesturing wildly at nothing but a disembodied voice.

Then the second Yosuke had shown up. And if that wasn’t interesting, Souji didn’t know what was. Skip the fact that there was an apparently evil clone of Yosuke standing before them, the fact that it was a complete asshole was fascinating. And it confirmed a lot of things about Yosuke that Souji’d already figured. While the yellow eyes of the shadow Yosuke were creepy enough to make anyone distracted, Souji found himself watching the Yosuke by his side instead.

He watched as the dark Yosuke accused the first Yosuke of hating the Inaba. When the Yosuke Souji knew flat-out rejected the statement and looked so upset about it, Souji couldn’t quite figure out why. Souji hated Inaba. It was tiny and in the middle of nowhere and always fucking foggy or rainy. Who wouldn’t hate it? But he kept watching and the show just got better. Because next up was an up close and personal examination of Yosuke, by Yosuke.  
“You act all happy-go-lucky because you’re really scared of being alone,” the yellow-eyed Yosuke hissed.

The Yosuke next to Souji shouted and stomped and turned red, with anger or embarassment, Souji couldn’t tell. He wondered if Yosuke was thinking about the fact that someone else was standing right there, hearing all his secret insecurities.

“You didn’t really come in here for Saki...you just thought it’d be a good time. You’d do anything not to be bored in this place,” the shadow went on.

Souji watched, fascinated, and not quite sure what the hell he should be doing. As Yosuke continued to yell at the yellow-eyed Yosuke, and the yellow-eyed Yosuke kept throwing accusation back, Souji began to feel something coming. Things were quickly going from entertaining to dangerous, he could feel it.

“You’ve never seen anyone as a friend. Just a way to help your pathetic little self not feel so useless and alone. Oh my...are you going to cry like a baby now?”

Yosuke was visibly shaking, his hands clenched at his sides, his eyes screwed up into angry slits. Souji tried to put a hand on Yosuke’s shoulder comfortingly, but it was brushed off violently and Souji took a step back. The shadow Yosuke had begun to lash out alien black tendrils and the ground was starting to shake.

Finally reaching his limit, Yosuke shouted something at his shadow that Souji could barely make out, because the moment it’d left Yosuke’s mouth, all hell broke loose.

 

When it was all over, Souji helped Yosuke back to the entrance of the TV world, where Teddie prepared to send them out. While Yosuke looked a sick shade of grey and could barely stand, Souji felt a surge of energy and strength in him and was easily able to hold Yosuke up. Souji felt different. Powerful. He’d managed to crush the thing that Yosuke’s shadow had turned into and it had felt familiar and awesome. It was the feeling he got when he won 3-on-1 fights back in Tokyo, only ten times greater. He felt full and stronger than ever.

Teddie couldn’t really explain what had happened to give Souji the power, but after he had explained the world inside the TV a bit more, it was obvious some weird shit was going down. Some grade-A freaky shit. People were dying and it had something to do with the world inside the TV. Teddie was worried about it and asked if they could help.So when Teddie began to whimper and bawl about the shadows in the TV world, Souji made a decision. He’d go there and fight his heart out. It’d be a waste not to.

He hadn’t expected Yosuke to slap a hand on his shoulder and announce he was tagging along.

Souji couldn’t help but grin. Maybe he’d been wrong about Yosuke. They were similar in a lot more ways than he’d thought, even if they were ways that Yosuke had never wanted to admit. Things would be interesting if the fight with Yosuke’s shadow was any indication. Yosuke was desperate but, more importantly, he had fight in him. Souji thought about what he’d been able to do. How he’d summoned a “persona”, his own personal fighting god, that was a piece of him. And Yosuke’d gotten one too. Souji nodded and thought about the damage they could do together.

It promised to be quite the ride.


	3. Pretty Visitors

Things got busy in Inaba. Souji had somehow managed to find himself part of an investigation team. One that everyone assumed he was leading. Which was fine by him. Leading had always been a bit too much trouble for Souji, but he was good at it. And having them see him as the leader meant he had a lot more leeway.

At first it had annoyed the shit out of him. He’d been there, what, a couple weeks, and they were so spineless or dumb that they had to rely on the newest kid in town to lead them? And then there was the “Senpai” crap. Ironically enough, Souji was more comfortable with Yosuke’s “Partner” label for him than any of the Senpai or Sensei stuff. Partner felt more familiar. It was closer to “bro” and the stuff he was used to. After a while it didn’t even bother him that it was Yosuke saying it. The senpai shit was still a bit annoying though. Mostly because it always seemed to be followed by whining or expectation of leadership. But, weird enough, Souji found it was almost easier for him to lead than have to bend himself over for someone else. And even though they called him leader, they were all just as strong as him, so he never had to worry about covering their asses.

Yosuke was pretty damn good in a fight, and kept getting better. He was fast, nimble, and as soon as those headphones went on, he had this weird concentration that Souji hadn’t thought him capable of. When it came to fighting, Souji actually got a thrill from throwing punches back to back with the guy. And it almost seemed second nature to Yosuke. He obviously just hadn’t known the wrong crowds to hang with in Tokyo. He’d have fit right in, despite the goofy hair and the hipster clothes. Yosuke would make a good street punk if he’d lose the kicked puppy look he got sometimes.

And really, the others weren’t as dumb or spineless either. Chie sure as hell wasn’t spineless. She reminded Souji of one of his old friends that always ran head-first into a fight, got the shit knocked out of him, but came out smiling. Only she was a girl, which just made it even more stupid and ten times more impressive. Yukiko wasn’t much of a fighter but damn if she didn’t get pissed when her friends got hurt. And she was wasn’t too shabby at making them better when they did. Even Teddie pulled his...empty weight sometimes, even if his falsetto voice was annoying as shit. Maybe Yosuke was right, wearing the headphones, but pretty soon Souji got used to that too. He came to rely on the directions Teddie gave them without cringing each time the bear squeaked.

They all fought like crazy, and they did it all the time. Any spare time they had, they were fighting their way through shadows, finding new ways to attack them. Yosuke’d even started up a bet between himself and Souji. Whoever killed the most each time got a free Rainy Day Special at Aiya the next time it rained. Followed by a view of the Midnight Channel.

The main four, Souji, Yosuke, Chie, and Yukiko, saw each other every day at school and almost every day after school. They were loud and obnoxious enough for him not to have to do much work and still look like their friend. Put anyone in a rowdy crowd and they’ll look like part of it. It was nice, for a change. He could just sit there and watch them, laugh occasionally, and they thought nothing of it. They just assumed he was cool-headed and relaxed. It was....easy. Nice, even. The only expectations they had for him was that he’d lead them.

Chie lent him all the martial arts dvds he could want and taught him moves he hadn’t even seen in Tokyo when they trained together by the river. Yukiko made him good-intentioned but ill-executed lunches. And Yosuke...well, Yosuke was Yosuke. He was, Souji had to admit, probably a friend. Maybe the closest friend he had in the town.

Even when the others complained and groaned after a day in the TV world, Yosuke would walk back from Junes with Souji, talking strategy and theories about the murders. He’d walk all the way to Souji’s house and sometimes they’d even linger outside, talking in hushed voices so Doujima wouldn’t hear. No matter how tired Yosuke was, he never turned down talking to Souji. He even seemed reluctant to leave sometimes. Souji thought about Yosuke’s shadow and it made sense--needing attention and friends--even though that didn’t seem to be everything. It was a bit pitiful when he thought about it, but then again, anyone could look at Souji’s personal community outreach program the same way, with all the random people he invested time in. Yosuke didn’t seem so pathetic when Souji realized how goddamn good it felt to be needed.

It felt so good--a weird kind of high that came from more and more people contacting him all the time, asking just for him, needing things only he could provide--that he’d gone from problem kid to a damn boy scout. Zero to sixty in five seconds. The more Souji got involved, the more he got involved. Without having a single fucking clue as to how, he’d ingratiated himself (and thus enslaved himself) to half the town population. He got roped into joining basketball and barely escaped soccer. But he still somehow ended up talking to a guy on the soccer team every other day. He found himself badly acting out romantic male lead roles in the drama club (the only other guy actor made Souji look down-right masculine) and then going to the hospital with one of the other members. He wound up spending his non-rainy days off working part-time at a daycare. He found things for people, hooked people up, listened to their drama, and still had to find time for fitting in shadow fighting. Shit, he even found himself running errands for a fox.

The nice thing about all of this was that it was a great distraction. From...everything. Like the fact that his parents hadn’t called the Doujima house since they’d last spoken to Souji’s uncle and they’d never actually spoken to Souji at all. The fact that that meant Souji’ would be in Inaba for at least a year, no way around it anymore. The fact that being in Inaba meant staying at the stupidly depressing Doujima home. Coming home to only Nanako, who masked her sadness and loneliness by watching TV or clinging to Souji while insisting in a sad tone that she “could watch over the house just fine and don’t worry about me, Big Bro.”

The family dynamic reminded him way too much of his own and he honestly hated being in the Doujima house. He hated answering the phone and having to tell Nanako her dad would be home late. Again. It was like being punished for having a workaholic uncle. He’d already been punished for having workaholic parents and he was sick of it. It depressed the shit out of him and he found himself avoiding going home after school, just so he wouldn’t have to be greeted by a lonely Nanko.

Even worse was when Doujima did come home, but he came home drunk. The first time his uncle had to be carried in by a stupid-looking subordinate, Souji barely checked himself. He’d been this close to punching his uncle in the gut. The subordinate had seemed to notice and taken Doujima away to put him to bed. Souji had thanked the disheveled officer--Adachi-san-- with no small amount of sarcasm and had helped him to the door promptly.

A slightly acidic feeling of guilt was starting to grow in Souji’s stomach every time he joined another after-school activity that meant not having to deal with the Doujima family dynamics. Every time he avoided Nanako, that just meant she was sitting at home really alone. But it wasn’t his family. Not his problem. Not really.

All the helping and activities was a good distraction from other things too. While Yosuke and Chie and Yukiko were good enough people and fighters to run around with in an alternate world, he could only take so much of them every week. Chie was just a bit too energetic, Yukiko a bit too...bipolar. And Yosuke, well, if given the chance, Yosuke would probably cling to Souji as much as Nanako. Not in the same way, of course. Yosuke was determined and driven and wanted to track down the TV world murderer and his Partner was his favorite person to talk to about it. All the time. And it wasn’t really bothering Souji at all. Which bothered Souji.

In Tokyo, he would have brushed a friend like that off. Maybe even punched him in the face to get through to the dude that he needed some fucking personal space, just chill. Instead, Souji found himself agreeing to help Yosuke work at Junes. For free.

“Dude, you don’t know how happy I am to have you hear, Partner,” Yosuke beamed when Souji found him in the produce section. “Seriously, you’re saving my ass. Thanks, dude.”

Fuck. Why were the people in Inaba so hard to refuse? Besides Nanako, Yosuke had about the dumbest, least pretentious smile Souji had ever seen. Yosuke had two smiles. He had a nervous smile (that he used when he was sad or hiding something or nervous and involved sadder eyes and tighter lips) and the other smile. The real smile. One so big and open and real that it was still alarming whenever Souji saw it. It didn’t belong on a kid from the city. Had half a year changed Yosuke so much or had he always been so naive and transparent?

Souji smiled lightly back at Yosuke. “No problem. I wasn’t busy today anyway. Ai wanted to go shopping but this gave me an excuse to say no.”

Souji thought he saw Yosuke’s smile break for just a second, but then it was back in full force and Yosuke put an arm around his shoulder.

“Alright. Let’s get you familiar with the consumer haven that is Junes then. I’ll even get you one of these nifty little aprons so you can be as sexy as me,” Yosuke winked.  
“Will I be selling this stuff,” Souji motioned towards the eggplants and bananas that were on a stand next to them.

“Yeah, produce. Why?”

Souji picked up a thick, long eggplant and held it up to his face, inspecting it.

“Then the apron isn’t necessary.”

Yosuke blushed bright red and nearly choked. He burst out laughing, slapping at his stomach, tears coming to his eyes.

“Dude, I can never tell if you’re joking or just....that...I don’t even know, man. How do you say that stuff with a straight face,” Yosuke coughed a few times, still grinning, then straightened up. “C’mon. I’ll show you around and get you an apron. The girls said they might stop by to see us and they’ll kill me if I don’t deliver them an apron’d Souji, as promised.”

Souji raised an eyebrow, “you’re selling me now?”

“I’m the Prince of Junes. Selling is what I do. Or something.”

So Souji spent the beginning of his Sunday, one of his few precious days with nothing planned, following Yosuke around Junes as he explained everything from pricing to timed sales. It was everything he’d ever found boring in Tokyo, but there was a surprising amount of different things involved.

“I’m impressed,” Souji said flatly as Yosuke threw him a spare Junes uniform.

“What?”

“You. You’re the same age as me but you know quite a lot about how this all works. I’m surprised.”

Yosuke blushed rubbed at his neck where his headphones normally would have been, “don’t make fun of me, man. You know I’m stuck with this crap.”

“I wasn’t making fun of you. I’m serious. You’re good.”

“It’s just supply chain and sales tactics. Every store supervisor has to know them.”

“But you’re not a supervisor.”  
Yosuke smiled weakly, the first smile, the nervous one. “Not yet. But I will be. And I’ll be trapped in this damn place forever.”

“You don’t like it?”

“What, being forced to take over a family business that isn’t really a family business because it’s actually a huge chain store where you have to pander to a corporation that doesn’t even own the store you work in? Having to work double shifts when some other high school kid decides to play hookey or face your dad coming home at midnight, pissed? And not getting paid for any of it?”

Souji allowed his eyebrows to raise a bit. Yosuke seemed to realize that he’d gone off on a rant and looked to the side, embarrassed, shoving an apron at Souji without meeting his eyes. Souji took the apron slowly, letting their fingers brush just a little. It was fun watching Yosuke turn even redder.

“Sorry, I--”

“It’s not all that bad,” Souji said flatly. Yosuke’s head jerked up with a betrayed look. “No, I mean...” Souji eyed the apron in his hands then looked over Yosuke slowly. Appreciatively. “You look pretty good in that apron.”

It’d been fun, watching Yosuke mumble something about unfunny jokes, punch Souji awkwardly in the arm, and stumble out of the employee locker room. Yosuke’d nearly knocked an old woman into a bin of lychee--on sale. Way too much fun.

Chie and Yukiko had showed up later, Teddie bouncing along behind them like a bobblehead puppy. Chie had spotted Yosuke first and shouted at him across half the produce section. Yosuke’d colored and then ran over to shush her and tell her to keep quiet. She hadn’t taken well to that. People started to stare. Souji made his way over. Yukiko stood to the side looking assaulted and trying to calm the two while Teddie bounced around excitedly, cheering on Chie then Yosuke then back to Chie because Chie was prettier. Chie had Yosuke by his shirt front and looked ready to give him a good one. She could do it too. Chie was stronger than most of the guys Souji’d fought with before. It was probably time to step in.

“Can I help you find something, Misses,” Souji asked calmly and with a smile. Chie and Yukiko immediately were silenced and Yosuke turned around to fix an unamused look on Souji.

“Souji-kun, you look...great!” Chie grinned. “Do you wear an apron at home when you cook with Nanako?”

“Yeah.”

“That’d be something to see! You and Nanako should cook for us all some time, right Yukiko?” Chie grinned happily.

Yukiko blushed prettily and nodded in agreement. “Yes, I’d enjoy that. We all would.”

“Don’t do it, man. You could never cook enough steak to make Chie happy,” Yosuke warned, flicking imaginary dust off his uniform from his scuffle with Chie.

“What was that, you little--”

But Chie was cut off. At some point Teddie had disappeared during all the commotion. And he’d come back holding two melons at chest height.

“What do you think, ladies? Is this about the right size?”

Chie and Yukiko flared. Yosuke took the opportunity to clap Souji on the shoulder and announce he had stock to...inventory....or something. Souji nodded and Yosuke gave him a wink of appreciation as he ran off towards the domestics section of Junes.

Souji played damage control for the next half hour, distracting the ladies with questions about their weekend and upcoming tests. With Yosuke gone, Chie was quite calmer and almost thoughtful as she, almost shockingly, expressed concerns with balancing shadow fighting and exams. Yukiko nodded along and became surprisingly talkative about the waves of people that were coming to the Inn lately, though she skirted carefully around how she felt about the extra work. She was slowly opening up, but it’d be a while. She was an odd bird, that one. Souji examined her as she spoke, all propriety and poise, until Teddie showed up with carrots sticking out his ears. They immediately lost Yukiko to a long string of exceptionally loud laughs and knee slaps.

Souji enjoyed their company, it made an hour fly by like nothing, but he eventually had to excuse himself to get back to work. He’d come to help Yosuke, after all, and so far all he’d done was shoot the wind with the girls. Souji went over to a crate of zucchini and began stacking them on the display like Yosuke had shown him. He wondered idly when he’d begun to care about actually doing work. It was a weird thing. Restricting and tiring, but it felt nice to care about something.

And damn if he wasn’t good at stacking vegetables.

“You are insane,” Yosuke said, standing with an arm on a hip and an eyebrow raised. “What are you?”

Souji blinked at Yosuke.

“THIS. This...you did more than three people could have done and I saw you yapping with the girls for, like, hours!”

“They weren’t here more than an hour.”

“STILL,” Yosuke huffed and went over to a stand of watermelons. “Are these...arranged by size?”

“They’re so big, if they weren’t stacked like a pyramid I thought they’d fall....”

Yosuke gaped. Then looked at the product signs. “Are....are these giant paper cranes with the prices on them?”

“.....No.”

“Yes they are.”

“Yes.”

Yosuke let out a giant sigh and seemed to deflate. “Dude, you make all the other employees look lame as hell,” he looked up at Souji, who didn’t really know what to do in response. Had he done something wrong?

Then Yosuke cracked and grinned, “You’re amazing, Partner. Seriously, I don’t know what the heck you are, but it’s amazing. I can take off early now. C’mon, let’s finish the pricing really quick, then we can get changed and grab some food. My treat.”

Souji looked down at his apron, playing with one of the strings. “That’s too bad. I was hoping I could keep it.”

Yosuke grinned and shook his head. “You’re one weird dude.”

“It looks good on me,” Souji stated simply.

“Yeah, but--er...” Yosuke blushed slightly, “company property. Sorry, Partner, you’ll have to find your housewife clothes somewhere else.”  
“Hm, you’re right,” Souji smiled slyly, “ I don’t want these anyway. Not enough lace.”

Yosuke laughed and rolled his eyes. “Let’s get the heck outta here. I want some ramen and if we stay here any longer I think the housewives are gonna jump you.”

“It’s the apron.”

Yosuke punched Souji in the back a little too hard and they made their way to the breakroom. Souji was glad for it. He wasn’t about to tell Yosuke, who’d just praised him so overtly, but he was run ragged from talking to all the older women and running around, trying to find items in other departments. He watched Yosuke open his clothing locker and had just an ounce more respect for him. Yosuke was far more intelligent than he first appeared and he was capable. Souji's first evaluation of his friend had been wrong, and that was odd. Souji was good at picking people apart. But the more he picked at Yosuke, the more Yosuke showed him. It was weird to have someone so....open. Someone so willing to bare himself to Souji. It was a weird relationship to Souji, a type he'd sure as hell never grown up with.

And since when did Souji joke like that?

Well, everyone was changing. Souji watched with his keen eyes and saw it happening slowly to all their friends and acquaintances. It was the circumstances in Inaba. It was only natural that he’d change too, though Souji seemed to be changing in a lot of ways that were quite opposite of everyone else.

He sat slurping ramen with Yosuke and realized that Yosuke, while still staying kind of stupid and hyperactive, had made himself an invaluable part of their team, thereby making himself friends and making sure he wasn’t alone, instead of just complaining about it like his shadow had said he did. Yukiko had gotten stronger and more directed in her plans for the future. Chie had found more reason to fight...for her friends. They’d all found motivation and purpose and were, for the most part, more excited and more driven.

Souji was almost the opposite. He’d gone from someone that was always high-strung and constantly itching for a fight, to someone that found fighting...calming. He didn’t go to fight the shadows because he wanted revenge for peoples’ deaths. He went because fighting with his friends--people equally powerful as him--put him in a good state of mind. He came home to Nanako every night feeling bound to the others even more closely and with a clear conscience, knowing that, for once, his fighting was helping other people and had bigger importance. They’d saved Yukiko after she’d been kidnapped. He wasn’t just passing time or wasting energy on street punks. He was making Inaba a better, safer place. And damn if that wasn’t a good excuse to fight. Every night Yosuke walked him to his door and they summarized the events of that day’s fights in the TV world, he said goodbye to Yosuke, feeling calmer and powerful. Important.

It took him a while to realize he wasn’t missing Tokyo anymore.


	4. My Propeller

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Souji starts to feel uncomfortable around his friends. Specifically Yosuke.

Kanji was an interesting addition to the group. He was a nice enough guy but the...circumstances of his addition had a unique effect on the rest of the Investigation Team (a cute little nickname the others had thought up because The Mystery Gang was already taken).

Kanji made everyone uncomfortable.

The truth was the guy was softer than a bed of baby kittens and had a sap’s heart, but his shadow had made them all way too squiffy. It’d made everyone jumpy and less willing to touch each other and the whole team began blushing at damn near anything. They all agreed that they accepted Kanji however he was, which always pissed him off, ironically, because he wasn’t gay. Really, it all just confirmed a few things Souji’d been thinking already anyway. Realistically, Kanji was probably the straightest person on the team. Even if he did do that sewing shit.

Which, incidentally, became handy later when Nanako tore her dresses at school. But, be that as it may, the rest of the team was still either a little jumpy around Kanji (Yosuke) or always watching him curiously (Yukiko), waiting for him to make a fagian slip or something.

The fact that Souji saw what was actually happening gave him a little satisfaction. He’d been on equal levels with them all for a while. But he was, after all, their leader and it felt nice to be superior again in some little way. If he wasn’t, he’d have no right to be their leader. They all just didn’t know it.

Kanji was uncomfortable because he hit a little too close to home. The Investigation Team did protest too much. Especially Yosuke.

Yosuke. Now, there was a pickle. Souji enjoyed watching him squirm around Kanji and the...implications Kanji’s shadow had made. Probably for the same reason that Souji found it increasingly entertaining to whisper just a little too closely into Yosuke’s ear or brush his hand against Yosuke’s while they walked home.

Yosuke wasn’t stupid. Souji knew that now. In fact, during their meetings, Yosuke did the majority of the talking and analyzing of their situation, throwing around ideas for the others to chime in on. Yosuke led those meetings more than Souji did. The kid was sharper than he looked. He had to know why Kanji affected him so negatively. Or at least, why he put up such a huge front about it.

….....Or maybe not, Souji thought as he leaned against Yosuke’s back while eating lunch and felt the other guy go rigid like a wall. Souji turned his head just a little and glanced out the corner of his eye to see Yosuke’s ears turn a dark red. Yosuke seemed to know what was going through Souji’s mind and quickly pulled his headphones up and covered his ears, blasting a song loud enough that Souji could feel the pulse of the bass down his spine.

Souji grinned and leaned back just a little more, putting his elbows on either side of Yosuke’s hips, his Head resting in the middle of Yosuke’s shoulder blades.

It was almost a game. Or, it became one. What started out as Yosuke blushing just a little too often turned into Souji purposely putting Yosuke in awkward situations, just to see how he’d respond.

It started--well, no--it’d started before that, but Souji’d realized what he was doing after the incident by the riverbed. Yosuke had spilled, well, everything. Feelings. Lots and lots of feelings. Really sappy ones. He’d even talked about how he’d been jealous of Souji and seemed downright ashamed of it (as if Souji hadn’t known from the beginning). And then he’d asked Souji to hit him.

And maybe there was something just a little wrong with Souji. Maybe his parents had been right, sending their ruffian son out to the boonies. Because when he found himself going fist to fist with a human being, with a friend, his best friend, the result had been unexpected.

Souji experienced a weird sensation. They’d held back, and yet they hadn’t. Souji and Yosuke had gone after each other in an all out brawl and Souji found himself weary from the blows, relieved from the fact that he now basically knew everything about Yosuke, and...strangely excited.

Excited in a way that was fucked up. His senses were heightened--he could feel his pulse throbbing in his neck, his knuckles burned, he could smell the dirt and grass around him, and he could hear Yosuke breathing next to him. Their ragged breaths came out unsynchronized but matched in heaviness. It gave him a rush.

What would his parents say if they knew he’d felt that good from a fist fight with a friend? Yosuke’s shoulder brushed his as he took a huge breath and Yosuke let out a little surprised laugh. A what the hell did we just do laugh that Souji could picture perfectly. Yosuke Smile Number Two. If they’d known, his parents would probably say they’d known all along that Souji was a troublesome wild child and that maybe even a tiny suburban town couldn’t pull that out of him. That he’d find trouble--trouble friends, trouble hobbies, anywhere he went.

And if they did, well, at that moment, he thought he might just go tell them to fuck themselves.

When he and Yosuke helped each other up and hobbled back to the Doujima house, Souji found he couldn’t give a shit. If his parents wanted to leave him in Inaba, he’d stay. Happily, even. Souji remarked about how Yosuke actually threw some really good punches and was rewarded with a disgruntled blush. In fact, Souji was quite enjoying himself.

Yosuke lingered around a little longer that night, even though there really was nothing else to talk about. Yosuke’d basically spilled his guts to Souji. He’d told Souji how he’d been jealous and not liked Souji too much at first. But how he’d realized he was just being stupid and now he wanted to protect the people in the town he’d hated before. He wanted to protect the people important to him...including Souji.

That’s what he’d said. Souji was prepared to take it all in and understand it then never bring it up again. It was the manly thing to do. Not to mention he knew it’d embarrass the shit out of Yosuke to bring it up again.

Which was why he found it weird that Yosuke was basically talking about everything under the sky, from school to the TV world to hair dye to music, to put off leaving the Doujima doorway. He was yammering on about a sale at Junes when Souji finally cut in.

“--because, you know, the fans are half off but the air conditioners aren’t on sale at all and isn’t that--”

“Yosuke.”

Yosuke looked up, a bit surprised. Souji realized that all the while Yosuke’d been talking to him, he hadn’t looked Souji in the face once. 

“Yeah, Partner?” Yosuke rubbed at his knuckles a little bit. They were red and one of them had split where the skin was dry. Souji could see a small line of blood on it. Yosuke didn’t seem to notice, bringing his hand up to wipe absently at his swollen bottom lip...

….and Souji snapped his eyes up to Yosuke’s.

“I’m tired so--”

“O-oh, right!” Yosuke put a hand behind his head and smiled awkwardly. “My bad. It’s really late, huh? And we had a long day. I’ll--”

“No, I just mean. If you want to talk, want to go inside? The fog’s setting in.”

“I--” for a second Yosuke perked up, then he shook his head and smiled.

“Naw. Thanks, Partner, but I’ll leave you alone for tonight. Don’t wanna wake up Nanako-chan. Or, even worse, your uncle. He still think I’m a criminal?”

“No. Just a very bad influence on his nephew,” Souji cracked a small smile.

Yosuke paled, “I think that’s probably even worse....”

“You’re probably right.”

“He’s such a....”

“Hardass?”

Yosuke looked surprised for a moment then began to laugh.

“You said it. Not me. You’re the bad influence. He is pretty...well, I like the younger detective a lot better. He’s more...smiley.”

“Adachi?”

“Yeah.”

“Really?”

Yosuke grinned a little. “Not really. The guy’s an idiot. Makes me worried for Inaba. He does spill some pretty good information though. He’s useful.”

That was Yosuke. Appreciated a nice personality but respected responsibility and actions more. That was probably why he liked Souji even though Souji was basically a conversational brick half the time. Souji didn’t know why else Yosuke would like him. He’d thought for a while that maybe Yosuke liked Souji’s quietness because it allowed Yosuke to just keep talking forever, but Souji later realized that was wrong. Yosuke thought Souji was a good person. Leader material. Someone worthy of calling Partner. The person Souji had managed to convince a whole town he was.

It was weird how quickly Yosuke’s come to believe Souji was a good person. If he thought about it, the others all had reason to immediately respect Souji--he wasn’t rude to them at school and their first major encounters had been him saving them from their shadow selves. Why wouldn’t they trust him? But Yosuke had been there from the very beginning. Without Yosuke around, Souji probably never would have spoken to Chie or Yukiko. In a way, Yosuke vouched for Souji’s respectability.

Souji shook his head a bit and gave Yosuke a pat on the shoulder.

“Send me a mail when you get home.”

“Dude, don’t be such a mom. I’ll be fine,” Yosuke colored but smiled and shrugged Souji towards the door. He waited for Souji to go inside and lock the door. Only when Yosuke was sure Souji had locked it would he turn to leave for his own house. Who was a mom?

Souji didn’t know what to think of someone putting so much faith in him. Someone trying to protect him of all people.

It was hilarious. Souji let out a muffled laugh as he headed upstairs to his room.

He chuckled to himself even as he took his time, getting ready for bed as slowly as possible, only settling down into bed after Yosuke’d sent him a quick message: Home, Mom. See ya tomorrow.

That night hSouji dreamed of wrestling with Yosuke. When he woke up, he could hear his pulse in his ears, nearly drowning out the rain outside. For a second it was almost hard to breathe.

The dream had been ridiculous, luchador masks and all. But it wasn’t just hilarious. Souji wiped a bit of cold sweat from under his bangs. It was turning into something far more...well.

That could wait. It was raining outside. He’d need to check the Midnight Channel.

 

After saving Kanji, despite the group getting just slightly more obnoxious and loud, things got quiet. Well, as quiet as things got with shit happening all the time. Souji sure found ways to make his life as busy as possible. He’d gotten another part-time job. Took up feeding all the neighborhood cats despite his uncles grumblings about how you feed ‘em an’ they’ll stick around even when you don’t want ‘em. Yosuke and the others didn’t usually bring it up, but he’d been sacrificing battle time for chores and odd jobs.

And that was fucked up. Definitely not him. Souji picking daycare over duking and practice over punches? He needed to reevaluate what was happening to him. Becoming a domesticated country boy who fought otherworldly evils at night was one thing, becoming a soccer mom was another. If his friends from Tokyo knew...naw, fuck them. They hadn’t contacted him once either. Probably all in jail or something. They couldn’t juggle the number of activities Souji had if their lives had depended on it, and for that Souji was a bit proud. It felt good when people praised him and mentioned how he was inhuman in his ability to help everyone. But it also bothered him.

Souji knew himself, hell, that was probably why he’d never had to fight his own shadow to get his persona. Souji was nothing if not honest as hell with himself, even if he wasn’t with others. And he knew there was no way he would have decided to go all extracurricular champ without a reason.

He just had to figure out what it was. What was wrong with him.

He’d been putting off trips into the TV world, resting peacefully knowing that none of the rest of the Team would go in without him. They weren’t all idiots. Well, the verdict was still out on Kanji, but he’d wait it out. The fact of the matter was, no one was showing up on the midnight channel and his friends wouldn’t risk themselves without him so there was nothing to worry about. At least, that was his excuse. And he knew it was an excuse. So what the hell was he doing?

It’d even gotten to the point where he didn’t like going to Junes. He invariably ran into Teddie or Yosuke or Teddie then Yosuke, and unless it was poking fun at Yosuke in a way that made him give Yosuke Smile Number 1 (the uneasy one), he got out of there as fast as he could. Especially if Yosuke was wearing his apron. What the fuck was it with that apron anyway? It clashed with Yosuke’s hair and made his cheeks look pink. It made him look like a dork, more than normal. But Souji couldn’t help feeling uncomfortable. If the rest of the Team showed up there too, it was just worse. Souji started to find himself vaguely hitting on the girls. Thankfully they were usually too confused or absorbed in other things to notice, but Teddie could always be counted on to point it out if he were there. Yosuke would laugh nervously, shoot Souji a weird look that was half-confused, half-warning, and all red. As Teddie inevitably asked about "hooking up" and "scoring", Yosuke would mutter an apology and scamper off to do work.

Souji was getting to the point where he was actually uncomfortable with his friends. Him. Leader. Partner. Wild Card. Suddenly socially awkward.

He wasn’t sure when it’d started exactly, but it’d all sort of hit him after one of their runs in the TV world. They were training Kanji in the way they’d all trained--dive head first into the shadow world and rely on your more senior shadow-fighting friends to watch your ass. He was pretty good too, held up real well, even if his shots did seem to miss their mark half the time. The dude was dedicated at least. Funny how the team member who most looked like Souji’s old Tokyo friends was probably the least like them underneath it all. Kanji was a lion on the outside and a kitten on the inside. It was a bit annoying sometimes, but he got fired up when he had to. Good thing Yukiko was just as fired up about healing her friends.

In one of his overly-ambitious attacks, Kanji had managed to get himself beat up something good. Yukiko had rushed to his side to work on healing him, leaving Souji and Yosuke to cover them. Chie was the watchout posted outside the bathhouse. They’d promised to always leave at least one team member outside wherever they were fighting shadows for multiple reasons. One being they could run back to the real world to get help if needed--extra supplies, etc. Another was...less pleasant. They’d all agreed that if something happened to the group that went in to fight, at least one person should be left to go to the authorities and explain the truth behind the murders and what they had discovered so far. It was Chie’s turn.

Souji cursed under his breath, they really could have used her ice attacks. They’d been ambushed by at least six Monopolizing Cupids. As Yukiko looked over Kanji’s injuries--the cupids had managed to confuse Kanji too--Yosuke quickly ran to cover them both. He’d lashed out, lightning fast, at the cupids. He’d aimed well and hit one square on but it brushed off the attack like nothing. Three of them focused their attacks on Yosuke, drawing their bowstrings. Souji made a mad dash for Yosuke, calling out Jack Frost as he went. Jack frost showered ice all over the cupids as Souji collided with Yosuke, knocking him out of the blast range.

They landed hard together on the floor, Yosuke’s headphones getting knocked off from the impact. Souji turned quickly, letting out a sigh of relief as Jack Frost spun in victory. Souji called the persona back and let out a long breath. Beneath him Yosuke let out a relieved sigh too.

Souji quickly turned to check on Yukiko and Kanji. Yukiko left Kanji to run over to Souji and Yosuke and Kanji sat up, rubbing his head, looking a bit ashamed. Seeing them fine, Souji turned back to Yosuke.

“You okay?”

“Y-yeah. Fine. Thanks, Partner,” Yosuke said a bit muffled. “Er--you can get off now, Partner.”

Souji was about to question him then realized the awkwardness of their position. They’d landed in a mess of arms and legs, Yosuke nearly pinned under Souji, who had one arm wrapped protectively around his friend’s head. Souji let go and tried to move without putting a knee or elbow in Yosuke but had to settle for sort of rolling off of him. Souji made to sit up and was nearly pulled back down. His hand had tangled in the headphone cord, near Yosuke's head.

“Wah-ouch, wait,” Yosuke quickly put his hands up to stop Souji.

Souji tried to wave his hand around unsuccessfully. How the hell had so much cord gotten like that?

“It’s not bad, I just have to--”

Yukiko cleared her throat and they both jumped, turning their heads to look at her.

“I assume you two are fine then,” she asked, eyebrow raising.

“Yeah, we’re good,” Yosuke said, turning so bright Souji could see his cheeks out the corner of his eye. Well, also because they were only about three feet away. “How’s Kanji?”

“I’m fine,” came a gruff reply from behind Yukiko.

“He’s fine,” Yukiko said calmly. Then lost her shit. Souji had never seen her laugh so hard. She buckled over, laughing over her knees.

Yosuke took it as a jeer, got even more huffed up, and began to scramble, trying to untangle the headphones at the same time as Souji. They both worked at it, somehow only making it worse while Yukiko sat watching, busting her gut. Even Kanji joined in with his loud bark laughter.

“Look, just--let me do it. I’ve got a better angle,” Yosuke finally said quietly, focusing on the divider of the cables. They’d get nowhere with both of them trying. Souji happily let Yosuke take over. But lying still had an even worse effect. Souji was still touching Yosuke’s side and he could feel every little movement. The slide of Yosuke’s ribs as he raised his shoulders, the way his legs shifted slightly with the movement. Souji suddenly felt self-conscious and focused on what Yosuke was doing instead. His fingers worked quickly, if a bit clumsily. They were thin and long. They...

“There, got it. Geez,” Yosuke sighed, pulling the loose headphones from between them and sitting up. “Man, you really sent us flying,” he rubbed at the back of his neck.

“Sorry,” Souji said sitting up too.

“Naw,” Yosuke glanced at him and gave him one of his real Yosuke grins. The dumb, innocent one. “I owe you. Again. Thanks for saving my ass again, Partner.”

Souji nodded and looked around for their weapons. The katana and kunai had gone skidding at least ten feet away. By the time Souji fetched them, Yukiko had recovered and Kanji had gained back some of his embarrassment, thanking his senpai for their help.

Yukiko suggested they leave the TV world for the night. They’d obviously been tired enough to slip up that much. Souji suspected that Yukiko just couldn’t wait to get back and tell Chie about what had happened but didn’t mind. They all headed back and, sure enough, Yukiko had immediately pullen Chie off to walk home, whispering. They’d just turned a street corner when the unmistakable sound of Yukiko’s laughter rang out.

Kanji had thanked Souji and Yosuke again--one more point against his delinquent rep. Souji almost laughed as Kanji slouched away.

Yosuke turned to Souji, rubbing a hand behind his head.

“Sorry again about earlier.”

“How many times have you saved me or pulled me up?”

“Er,” Yosuke smiled. “Yeah. Thanks anyway.”

“Mhm,” Souji smiled quietly. For some reason he needed to get home. He itched to get away from Junes. “Let’s go”

Yosuke walked with him like usual, bringing up random topics but Souji could barely concentrate enough to answer him. He needed to get home. His gut was doing flips and something was wrong. He picked up the pace. They reached the Doujima house and all looked fine but Souji still had the feeling.

Yosuke leaned against the wall outside the door. He looked long like that. Like a cat. “So, do you--”

“Yosuke,”

Yosuke started. “yeah?”

“Sorry, I’m really tired. And we’ve got a test tomorrow, so--”

Yosuke looked a bit surprised but thankfully not too offended. “Oh, yeah. Shit. Totally forgot about that. Alright, g’night Partner.”

Souji got in the house, locked the door, and listened as Yosuke’s footsteps faded away. When he couldn’t hear them anymore, he realized with a start that he was completely fine. He sat down for a minute to calm down. His stomach wasn’t flipping its shit anymore and he didn’t feel jittery. He took a good breath and pulled his shoes off, lining them up with the others by the door, then made his way to the living room, greeting Nanko with a smile.

He hadn’t wanted to get home. He’d wanted to get away from Yosuke.

And it had been like that for at least a week.

Souji’d given another excuse again and waved off his friends outside his house. This time the excuse was fairly legitimate though. He hadn’t spent much time with Nanako while they were crawling through the TV world looking for Kanji and he’d promised her an evening of cooking and Ranging Rangers. It didn’t even annoy him that he was looking forward to it.

He opened the front door, sat down and took his school bag off. Each time he refused his friends, the annoying feeling in his stomach would stay longer. Sometimes it was a buzz in his head. Was it guilt? Souji wasn’t very familiar with guilt. He just wasn’t that type. He’d always been type to be sure of his actions and not regret them later. If he did something wrong, well, he’d either deal with it or do what he had to to fix it. Was it annoyance? It was possible. He’d never really spent that much time consecutively with the same friends. He always had a few different groups in Tokyo and he’d hang with whichever one he felt like whenever. Maybe his Inaba friends were just starting to get on his nerves. No. He didn’t feel any hostility towards them. More like an urge to...run away.

And that was something Souji never did.

Souji slid his shoes off and lined them up with the others, only then noticing there was an extra pair.

“Oh, hi there,” a cheery voice said from behind him. Souji jumped and automatically started for a fighting stance then checked himself.

“Woah, there. Sorry,” the cheery detective said, throwing his hands up, “didn’t mean to scare you. Doujima-san just asked me to check up on Nanako-chan. He can’t make it home until late tonight and he wasn’t sure if you’d be home or not.”

Souji wondered if his uncle was really okay with letting a grown man into their house alone with Nanako, but he’d never seen his Uncle working without the younger detective. Doujima obviously trusted the guy on some level.

“Welcome home, Big Bro,” Nanako chirped from the table. She had worksheets out. Souji smiled and greeted her and she returned studiously to her work.

“....Adachi-san...”

The detective spun around happily. “Yeah?”

“Thank you for taking care of Nanako. I’ll take over from here so you can return to your work,”

“Ah, you’re a good nephew, aren’t you,” Adachi-san reached out as if to ruffle Souji’s hair and, thankfully, thought better of it. Souji wondered if his face had shown his thoughts. Adachi-san pulled his hand back like it was on fire. “But it’s okay. See, I already started making dinner. Nanako-chan had homework to do. I’m afraid I don’t know how to cook much, being a bachelor pad kind of guy myself. Do you like cabbage rolls?”

Souji didn’t really know what to say. Adachi-san sure was up-front, if a bit oblivious to normal social cues. He’d sure made himself at home.

No, Souji was just on edge. He had been for the last week. He didn’t have an excuse to be rude to the detective. Adachi, annoying or not, had helped their investigation in his own way, whether he knew it or not. His big mouth had let slip lots of valuable information. And having another cheery person in the house that night would probably be good. He didn’t think he would have been able to give Nanako the best Big Bro treatment that night anyway. He’d have to give her a raincheck.

Souji surveyed the kitchen quickly, looking over the basic ingredients spilling out of plastic Junes bags on the counter. He shrugged and headed over to Nanako. He watched her work for a bit and offered to help. She perked up and began gushing about school. Alternating between her homework and taking glances to make sure Adachi didn’t set the house on fire (even if he was a detective, Souji didn’t know how much he trusted the dude by an open flame in his house), Souji found himself relaxing a bit.

His cellphone peeped and he pulled it out. Message from Yosuke. Souji’s jaw tightened. He flipped it open to read the message.

Wanna meet up tomorrow? I’ve got free movie tix.

Souji frowned and closed the phone.

Right. Tomorrow was Sunday. He could say he was going to work at the daycare. Or volunteering at the hospital.

Why the hell did he need an excuse? If Yosuke was a friend, he’d understand if Souji just didn’t want to hang out one day. But Souji did. He did but the idea itched at him somehow.

“Everything okay,” a peppy voice asked as a plate of cabbage rolls was set in front of Souji. Souji nodded.

“Yeah.”

“You were looking at that phone pretty hard. Did it steal your girl or something,” Adachi chuckled.

“No, it’s fine. Thank you for the food. Nanako, time to eat.”

Nanako cleared her things off the table quickly and thanked Adachi for the food too.

Adachi clapped his hands together.

“Well! You guys enjoy. I’m gonna head back to work before Doujima-san kills me.”

“You’re not going to eat,” Nanako asked curiously.

“You didn’t see because you were so busy studying, Nanako-chan. I ate half the cabbage rolls by accident while I was cooking. I had to make more, that’s why it took so long,” Adachi said, laughing in an embarrassed way, his hand behind his head. Something about it seemed immediately familiar and Souji found himself subconsciously relaxing.

He got up and saw Adachi to the door.

“Thank you for your care,” Souji said politely.

Adachi nodded and gave Souji a small punch on the shoulder. “Doujima-san is right, he has a good nephew.”

Again Souji felt a moment of familiarity and found himself smiling slightly.

“Tell uncle hello for us.”

“I will,” the young detective said, waving as he left.

After they’d finished eating and Nanako had helped Souji with the dishes, he put her to bed and headed to his own room.

He sat down on his couch and pulled his cellphone out. He typed a quick message back to Yosuke Sure. Meet you at the station at 10 and closed his phone. After a moment he heaved himself up and went to get ready for bed.

That night he dreamed of wrestling with Yosuke, but there were no luchador masks this time.


	5. Fire and the Thud

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Souji decides it's time to take a bit of action, as long as he can control it.

Souji sat stiffly and listened to Morooka droning on about how they all deserved to die like dogs if they didn’t keep it in their pants. Half the class was asleep (an amazing feat, considering how fucking loud the teacher was) and the other half were either staring into space or texting under their desks.

There was a light thunk and Yosuke was leaning back against Souji’s desk. He was slouched down in his seat and his brown hair was brushing on Souji’s desk. He didn’t fake a yawn though, so he was probably asleep. Souji reached up to Yosuke in the shoulder before Morooka could catch Yosuke snoring in class and lecture them all. But when Souji reached up, his fingers brushed against Yosuke’s hair. It was a bit stiff from some sort of product, but still feathery. Souji reached up to touch a bigger piece, wondering if it all felt like that. The bigger piece wasn’t as soft but still felt nice. How did Yosuke keep his hair so nice when it was obviously bleached and dyed? Souji ran his fingers through it, starting at the base of Yosuke’s neck. He had a sudden urge to grab a handful and pull it, just to see what Yosuke would do. But Yosuke stirred and his head bounced up a bit. He yawned.

“Huh? What’s up, Partner,” he whispered back at Souji.

“Nothing. You fell asleep. Didn’t want Sensei catching you.”

“Ah, thanks for that,” Yosuke rubbed at his neck where Souji had been thumbing his hair. “That tickled though. Just poke me next time or something.”

“Sure,” Souji muttered. Then, before he realized it was out of his mouth, he asked, “want to hang out after school?”

Even though Souji could only see part of Yosuke’s face, he could tell that it immediately perked up. Yosuke sat up in his seat and smiled. “Sure!”

“Alright then,” Souji said calmly.

Yeah, this was how it should be. He drew luchador masks in his immaculate notes all the rest of the class. He was only slightly disappointed that Yosuke didn’t fall asleep again.

When the bell rang Chie and Yukiko came over to talk to Souji. Yosuke groaned quietly.

“She probably wants steak. Free steak,” he whispered at Souji.

“Hey guys, want to grab something to eat,” Chie grinned.

Yosuke gave Souji a look and Souji covered up his laugh with a cough.

“What the hell was that look for, Yosuke,” Chie frowned. “I know what you were thinking and I saw that look!”

“Why are you only getting mad at me?! Souji laughed too!”

Chie turned strictly to look at Souji.

“I had something in my throat,” he said flatly. Chie nodded curtly. Then whipped back to Yosuke, hands on hip.

“See! You’re the Jerk, Yosuke.”

While this was all entertaining or whatever, Souji knew that, at this rate, they’d all be eating at Junes food court. And he couldn’t be bothered with that today. He eyed Yosuke’s hair and thought that all the shouting between Chie and Yosuke was annoying. It was the first time he’d thought that since he’d first come to Inaba. Souji almost felt guilty, but what the fuck was wrong with just chilling with a friend? Did the whole town have to come too? Didn’t he dedicate enough of his time to every damn person there?

“Would you like to get something to eat together, Souji-kun,” Yukiko’s voice broke the sound of bickering he’d blocked out. There it was. Souji was thinking quick, finding an excuse that’d let him hang with just Yosuke without insulting the girls. Even if they were his friends, he had to keep up the good guy act. It was what they expected. Everything’d go to shit if they knew that he didn’t want them around because. Because whatever. Souji acted as if he hadn’t heard, giving him time to think. Yukiko repeated her question and he had to look up at her and apologize while she stood serenely, hands behind her back.

Yukiko had an expectant look. That was rare for her. His friends had apparently taken his two weeks of excuses harder than he’d thought they would. Sappy people. But loyal. Souji couldn’t think of an excuse. Looked like it’d be another day at the Junes food court.

But then Yosuke butted in and saved them all from another afternoon of horrible fast food and sticky plastic benches.

“Not today, thanks. Me and Partner have plans,” he said almost haughtily.

Chie raised an eyebrow.

“Plans?”

“Yeah. Plans. Guy plans. They’re too manly for you. Well, maybe not you, Chie, but--OUCH!”

Yukiko giggled. But then she looked quizzically at Souji. He and Yosuke had never purposely excluded the girls before. Yukiko was sharp, if a bit ditzy sometimes. Souji wondered if she’d caught on to his freakouts before.

“Yeah, we’re gonna spend some quality Dude Time together,” Yosuke said, stretching his arms over his head nonchalantly, but giving Chie a leer.

“What, like buy porn and not wash your socks,” Chie jeered back.

“P-porn?!” And then Yosuke was red and calling Chie names related to cuts of meat while she attempted to kick him.

 

 

Not a month ago, they’d been able to hang out like that. Like natural friends. Partners. Now, Souji was preening in a mirror, way overthinking the half-day he was about to spend with Yosuke. It’d bothered him to be in Yosuke’s company enough that it had taken encouragement from his uncle's work partner, of all people, to get Souji in a mindset where he felt like he could handle Yosuke.

The cheesy-ass bowl cut had been part of Souji’s original plan. Now his bangs were getting slightly too long and he had to sweep them a bit to the side. The haircut still had its intended effect though. Old school, intelligent, quiet, kind. But still cool because of the retro factor and the fact that his hair was silver.

With a black turtleneck and blazer he was sleek, sophisticated. Like a good boy who looked like all he had to do was roll out of bed and be amazing. Yosuke may have led the Investigation Team’s meetings and the investigation itself in many ways, but Souji was a planner. Strategist. He knew exactly what would make Yosuke uncomfortable. Not that he didn’t want them to have fun on their movie date, but the idea of making Yosuke uncomfortable made the idea of spending the day with Yosuke a bit more manageable. His stomach had stopped twisting by the time he’d gotten off the train at the mall.

It bothered Souji that he had avoided Yosuke (and the Team) for so long. Yosuke was the opposite of any possible kind of threat Souji could imagine. In the TV world, they were all different. The whole team was capable of taking out multiple shadows, taking hits that would normally kill them. And Yosuke was the most powerful next to Souji. Sometimes he was even faster than Souji. That determined fierceness that could spring from Youske out of nowhere, that energy and those quick strikes....they were dangerous and attractive. But take them both out of the TV world and Souji was calm and strategic while Yosuke was awkward and showy. Souji had nothing to fear from Yosuke and no reason for avoiding Yosuke as much as he had. It was disgusting, really. Pathetic.

Souji planned to set that all straight today. Souji was nothing if not honest with himself. There was a reason he’d been avoiding Yosuke and he’d figured it out. But it’d taken him way too long. The country life must have dumbed down his mind. But there was also a reason Yosuke lit up like Shinjuku each time Souji touched him intentionally or unintentionally, and Souji was pretty damn sure that Yosuke didn’t have a clue what it was. Souji was far better at observing people and was almost ashamed of the the fact that he found Yosuke, who was so fucking dense sometimes, so attractive.

Souji wasn’t going to stand around and let things stay like that. The Team could think of them however they wanted--best friends, partners like Yosuke said--but they’d have to be way thicker than the country bumpkins they were to not realize Yosuke could give Kanji a run for his money any day when it came to man-blushing and nervousness around other guys. And, well, if the rest of the team didn’t notice, it must be because they were all dealing with similar issues themselves.

Maybe what Souji wanted was hopeless. But even failure could be fun. After all, you didn’t go into a fistfight expecting to come out clean. The bruises and blood just made the effort better.

Souji had planned to get to the Mall early. Preemptive strike. When he got there, he was surprised to see Yosuke standing against a pillar, one foot up, eyes closed, headphones on. It was unexpected but it made Souji grin slightly. Yosuke’s head was bobbing up and down and the foot against the pillar was tapping. He looked like he did right before attacking in battle. Souji’s fingers twitched in his pockets.

He walked up to Yosuke normally, but Yosuke didn’t notice. Yosuke sniffed and shrugged a shoulder as the fur on the lining of his coat tickled his neck. Souji hadn’t realized how long Yosuke’s neck really was. It was thin and light by his face and more flushed where the fur started.

Souji reached up towards Yosuke’s headphones. Yosuke apparently sensed a disturbance in the headphone force and his eyes popped open, big and surprised.

“Oh, h-hey, Partner. Don’t scare me like that, haha! I had no idea you were here!”

Souji stepped back, slipping his hands into his pockets and wondered vaguely if the headphones were actually attached to Yosuke’s being somehow.

“I called you, but you didn’t hear me.”

“Ah, oh. Sorry, you know me. Once these things are on I’m completely oblivious to the world.”

“Mm,” Souji nodded, and allowed himself to look slightly offended.

The impact was better than he thought. That was the thing about remaining blank 80% of the time. When you did make some sort of emotional change or stated a solid opinion on something, everyone always listened. They watched for the smallest cues. It was entertaining.

“Er, sorry, I know I wear them all the time. Even in battles. Guess it’s kind of rude, huh?”

Souji smiled forgivingly, “they’re important to you.”

Yosuke blushed and scratched behind his ear. “Yeah...thanks.”

When he did it, the headphones raised a bit. It reminded Souji of a few weeks back when he’d knocked them off, protecting Yosuke in battle. At the time it hadn’t been anything to comment on, but thinking back on it, the memory of Yosuke without his headphones made Souji’s throat hot.

“Where did you get your headphones,” Souji nodded in the direction of the movie theater and Yosuke followed, walking at his side.  
“Nowhere important. They weren’t a present or anything. I bought them with my first paycheck from Junes when we moved here. They’re top of the line but it’s not like I treasure them or anything.”

“Hm.”

“....okay, yeah, I guess that was a lie.”

“You always wear them.” Souji loved how, with just a single sound or a look, he could get the truth out of Yosuke, if it weren’t already offered up freely. Yosuke was almost always transparent, and when he wasn’t, all Souji had to do was ask. It was strange to be completely trusted. It was a bit overbearing but also empowering. It gave him a rush.

“Yeah...the truth is, when I first moved here, I hated it. Like my shadow said. I hated the people. They didn’t even try to be nice to me. ‘Oh, there goes the Prince of Junes, stealing the entire town’s economy’, and all that. I mean, I listened to music when we lived in the city too, but not like I do now. Music lets me drown everyone out without making me seem rude. And listening to the bands I’d gone to see in the city and stuff made me feel better. Though it actually just made me hate Inaba even more, so...maybe it was counterproductive,” Yosuke chuckled a bit, “honestly, I don’t need them anymore. But I’ve gotten so used to them...and they really do help me concentrate during a fight. But I also don’t want you guys to get in trouble and not be able to hear it.”

A bit late for that. They’d only been fighting shadows for months. “Even if you don’t need them anymore, they’re still important. They helped you,” Souji found himself saying.

“You know...this stuff is embarrassing, but you’re the only one I don’t have any problem talking to about it,” Yosuke grinned. It was Yosuke Smile Number 2. Success.

“Hm,” Souji stepped back, giving Yosuke an appraising glance. “That’s what Partners are for. I have to say though, I can hardly remember what you look like without the headphones, I see it so rarely.”

“Yeah, I even fall asleep in them sometimes. Without them I almost feel...”

“Naked,” Souji suggested quietly.

The area between Yosuke’s eyebrows crinkled. Between that and his blush, he looked like a shriveled tomato. “Er, I--well--yeah, er, I guess,” his head jolting with each word, the fur around his neck floating up and down. Yosuke was either very fashion-forward or had a high tolerance for annoyance. Souji rather thought it was a bit of both. Souji watched the fur float and thought it’d bug the shit out of him if he were the one wearing it. Then again, it’d also bug the shit out of him to wear headphones all day, every day.

“Don’t tell other people that. They’ll want you to take them off,” Souji stated blandly.

Yosuke barked out a laugh. “Yeaaaah, no. I don’t think anyone’s anxious to see that. You weirdo.”

“Hm...you’d be surprised,” Souji smiled teasingly to hide a grin. Yosuke made it too easy.

Yosuke laughed again, “are we talking about the same thing here?”

“If we’re talking about you being naked.”

Souji stepped back in towards Yosuke and continued walking toward the theater. He imagined that he could feel the heat radiating from Yosuke while Yosuke made some joke about being 150% sure Chie and Yukiko would kick his ass before he could get his shirt off. Souji nodded and smiled but didn’t reply. His silence had quite an entertaining effect, Yosuke blabbering more and more with unease. Souji tightened his lips against a grin for the rest of the way to the theater, all too aware of the far-enough but still close distance Yosuke had put between them.

The movie was passable. An action flick with too little lines and too many guns. Souji dug it. Possibly even more than Yosuke, though it would have been out of character for him to say so. As they left their seats he did make one remark that he wished there’d been more swords instead of guns and Yosuke broke out laughing.

“Imagine if they’d all fought with golf clubs and folding chairs!”

Even Souji had to laugh at that.

“They’d never get arrested for carrying them around at least,” Yosuke grinned.

Souji chuckled too. The thought of how pissed his uncle had been after they’d been arrested at the Junes food court and couldn’t hold it back. Pissed off cops were always hilarious, even if they were relatives. Yosuke snickered and wondered why they hadn’t been arrested for the golf club and wrench.

“They’re just as dangerous in my skilled hands,” Yosuke grinned, holding the door for himself and Souji as they left the theater.

“Oh? I thought I was the one with skilled hands.”

Yosuke’s smiling face quickly turned pale. “I’m going to kill them! Who told you I said that? Was it Chie?? Teddie? I bet it was Chie! That carnivore can’t keep her stupid mouth shut.”

“It’s okay, you don’t have to be jealous. I think you’re just as good with your hands. Though I wonder if I’ve ever seen your real skill....”

“Haha, quit it, man! Everything you say sounds dirty today, Partner!”

“Hm,” Souji motioned to a vending machine across the way from them. “I’ll buy you a drink. Orange soda?”

“What for?”

“You bought my movie ticket, of course.”

“Dude, after all the things you’ve done for me...I think I can spring for your ticket.”

“Just let me do it. I’ll feel better.”

Yosuke faked a sigh but gave Souji a Smile Number Two. He didn’t give those out much anymore. Souji wondered why and realized, with him avoiding the Investigation Team, Yosuke must have had to step up. And, knowing Yosuke, even when they weren’t fighting in the TV world, he was probably thinking about the investigation every day. Souji almost felt guilty. He bought Yosuke the most expensive drink in the machine. A full twenty yen more.

Souji went over to the machine and bought them both drinks. They leaned against a bike rack next to the machine and cracked the drinks open. It was quiet. Hardly anyone else was in town that day. There had been less people out and about in general. The murders had them scared.

Souji sipped at his, watching Yosuke out the corner of his eye. Yosuke threw his head back slightly with each drink. Even though he had a slender neck, Souji could see his adams apple, usually hidden by the fur on the coat. It slid only slightly as Yosuke’s jawline moved and he swallowed a gulp.

Yosuke had gotten skinnier. He’d been skinny before. He was that type. Wiry, bone, muscle, and skin, but he looked even thinner. Someone else may have said it made him cuter, more feminine, but it made Souji’s brow twitch. It annoyed him. Yosuke was supposed to be killing shadows with the Team. He was the second strongest. Fastest. What was he doing, losing weight?

It wasn’t calculated. Souji smoothly set down his drink and, while Yosuke was taking another, reached out and clasped his hand around Yosuke’s wrist. It was thicker than he’d expected, even though it was almost all bone. It was a teenage boy’s wrist, after all. Not a girl’s.

Yosuke nearly dropped his drink, but caught it just in time. He lowered it to his lap, looking slightly confused.

“What’s up, Partner? You wanna go?”

“No...I...have you been eating well?”

Yosuke pull his hand back and out of Souji’s, turning pink.

“Yeah, of course. Well, I mean, it’s usually Junes leftovers from the food court, but you know how--”

“I’m serious.”

Yosuke trailed off and gripped his own hand, feeling the width of his wrist.

“I’m fine, Partner. Just...not sleeping as well, and that throws off my appetite a bit.”

Souji could feel something in the corner of his eye twitching involuntarily. Why did he care if Yosuke was cutting back on the carbs? It was Yosuke’s choice. But Yosuke had to be in top condition.

It came out sharper than he’d planned, or, rather, he hadn’t planned it at all. “Do what you want, but you have a responsibility to be in good shape. For the Investigation. The Team counts on you.”

The soda can really did fall out of Yosuke’s hands then. Souji made to catch it but Yosuke had reacted almost immediately, hands fumbling, knocking the can from his left to his right before catching it in a kind of half-fall crouch, bent over the can in his hands.

“Ah...nice catch,” Souji said blankly to the top of Yosuke’s head.

Yosuke stood up slowly, the can crunching slightly in his hand.

“Responsibility...that’s rich coming from you, Partner.”

Yosuke had straightened up fully and Souji was alarmed to find their faces were barely a foot apart.

And Yosuke had a weird expression. It was unfamiliar. Souji hadn’t figured on an expression like that. He scrambled for any advantage, a foothold, whatever. Yosuke’s eyes were wide but his brows were drawn down. He had a slight, twisted smile that was trying to be a real smile but had frozen halfway.

Intense. An intense look. The back of Souji’s throat felt hot again.

“You’ve been avoiding your responsibility to the Team for weeks. Or, maybe you just have so much responsibility, off doing all your part-time jobs and helping old ladies and counseling sad, pretty girls at school, that you can’t handle the responsibility of solving a murder?”

Souji opened his mouth, then closed it, drawing his lips in tight. He didn’t know what to do. In Tokyo, this would have been the start to a fist fight. But he couldn’t fight Yosuke. The intense look in Yosuke’s eyes was making his throat constrict where it had felt hot before. He had to fix the conversation. Turn it around again in his favor.

“I get it, man. You want to help all the people you can. That’s why I want to find the murderer. That’s why I admire you. But you’re priorities...well, you can’t even spend time with your friends,” Yosuke’s smile managed to crack and spread into something bigger and more bitter.

There it was. The weak spot. The weakness behind all the intensity. It was exciting. Like finding a strong opponent’s blind spot, even while you were getting beat to hell. Knowing that, the next punch you got it, would be the end and you would come out the winner.

“....Yosuke....” Souji took a napkin from the movie theater out of his pocket and, softly, took Yosuke’s hand and wiped the soda off of it. It was nearly all gone already, just a sticky spot left, but Souji did it anyway. Then put it back in his pocket, letting the hand wrapped around yosuke’s stay where it was.

“Yosuke, are you jealous?”

Yosuke dropped his hand and Souji’s went with it, their skin sticking slightly. Souji stepped closer, pulling it back towards him so that both of their hands rested against the outside of Souji’s thigh.

Yosuke’s eyes widened, the edges lifting up on his droopy eyes to make them look even bigger.

“W-why--no. Of course not! What you do is your business and I know you’re a busy guy. You’re our Leader and--”

“Hm. You’re contradicting yourself. It sounded an awful to me like you’re jealous.”

Yosuke turned his head, avoiding Souji’s eyes.

“Look...I know I can’t lie to you. I mean, you beat my shadow. I’m not jealous. I just...I kind of miss hanging out, dude. Dicks before chicks, you know? Or before the whole city, in this case.”

Souji tried not to. He really did. But he cracked. He snorted.

“Yosuke...I think you meant, ‘bros before ho’s.”

Yosuke realized too late and Souji watched his eyes go even bigger from an angle.

“I--you know what I meant! I didn’t mean it that way!!”

Souji had never seen such a combination of panic and laughter on a person’s face before. The result was hilarious. Yosuke was grinning, but his nose was twitching, all while his eyes were opened up wide.

Souji snorted again, “You sure about that?”

“Yes! You know me!”

Souji stopped chuckling and straightened his mouth out more into a smirk. “I know that you’re jealous because I haven’t been spending time with you. And that you think, more important than chicks--”

Yosuke turned his head back to stare at Souji straight-on, slightly horrified. He was blanched white. Maybe Yosuke went full circle back to white if he blushed too hard.

“Shuttup already! I wasn’t jealous, okay?! I’m not Kanji! Jeez, I just missed hanging out with you. You were my first real friend here and you mean a lot to me and I can’t help it if it stings a bit when you run around helping everyone out but me! You don’t have to be a dick about it, dude! You’re my part--”

Souji knocked over his own can at some point. He’d forgotten where he’d set it. But somewhere between moving from his spot to trapping Yosuke against the bike rack, he’d knocked it over. The hollow metallic clink then the roll roll rolling of the can played slowly in his head as he locked his free hand around Yosuke’s other hand. Yosuke’s lips were a bit thicker than Souji’s. They were soft but cracked in one or two spots from the cold weather. Souji hadn’t expected that. He thought Yosuke would be more careful about his skin, considering how much he was into appearances. The rough spots gave him a bit of a thrill though, catching his lips on Yosuke’s.

Not three seconds. Maybe less. Souji pulled back just slightly, putting a few inches between them, and licked his lips discreetly. They tasted slightly like orange soda.

Yosuke was frozen. A deer in headlights. Fish out of water. A guy surrounded by a gang in a Shibuya alley.

Souji made to move in again, slowly.

“Hey, Souji-kun!”

“Seta!”

Souji recognized the voices. He pulled away enough to stare Yosuke in the eyes meaningfully, then slowly turned and plastered on a small smile. Daisuke and Kou were walking towards them from the train stop direction.

“Oh, hey, that Yosuke guy’ here too!”

“Daisuke, don’t be rude. His name’s Hanamura.”

Souji could almost feel Yosuke shrink behind him.

“I’m not being rude. The dude’s funny. I like him.”

Souji watched them bicker between themselves, turning to smile at him in intervals. A sudden urge to foul Kou every chance he got the next time they play basketball overcame him. And Daisuke? Didn’t country twerps have any tact?

But Kou was smiling warmly and Daisuke was grinning his jock grin. They greeted Yosuke and Yosuke had no choice but to step out from behind Souji. When he did, he did it so quickly Souji barely saw him move and greeted them just as quickly.

Kou was in a chatty mood. But when wasn’t he, besides when he was being an emo, emotional mess. Family problems. Everyone has them. Souji had little patience. He chatted for a few minutes about school and basketball. Yosuke said nothing. In fact, he hadn’t made eye contact with any of them.

“Sorry to cut you short, but we’re heading back into town. I have to get to my part-time job,” Souji lied.

“Ah, at the hospital? That nurse is pretty fine, isn’t she,” Daisuke grinned.

Kou punched him in the ribs and they all parted ways, Daisuke clutching at his gut and laughing nervously.

The ride back was quiet than a morgue and colder than a night in the slammer. Yosuke, it seemed, had completely shut down. He turned towards the window on the train and pretended to fall asleep in three seconds. But his breathing was irregular and he tensed each time Souji shifted. Souji leaned back and closed his eyes too, trying not to grin.

Now, the waiting game. How long would it take Yosuke to snap and ask him what it’d all been about? Whether it was a sick joke and what was he thinking, partner? When would he start fidgeting and blushing and stammering?

But Yosuke didn’t snap. They got to Yaso-Inaba and Yosuke magically woke up without any prompting.

Yosuke managed to mumble out a ‘yeah’ when Souji declared he’d see him tomorrow, at school. He only shook his head when Souji offered to at least walk to Junes with him. Then they parted ways.

At first Souji felt triumphant. As if his rush of excitement had waited until out of hearing range from Yosuke. Or as if he only then let himself be excited. Yosuke’s reaction, while not inviting, hadn’t been a negative one. But his reaction hadn’t been positive. Contrary to what Souji had expected, Yosuke had not overdisplayed emotions--the stuttering, blushing, mumbling he’d expected hadn’t come. The self-righteous “dude, don’t play around like that” accompanied with blushing had also been a probable reaction, but that hadn’t happened either.

The result was that Souji found himself struggling to decide which of them had more power over the situation. By completely shutting down, Yosuke was leaving everything to Souji (which Souji had expected--he was leader for a reason after all) but he’d done it in a way that had given Souji no real control over the situation. He would have to be careful. Or, would being careful make Yosuke uneasy and drive him away? Maybe being decisive and forward was what Yosuke would respond to in a situation like this--confidence and support from the team leader may convince him that this, whatever it was, was okay. Then again, if Souji just took up the normal roles of...

To put it simply, Souji was shit out of ideas for what to do next.

A bad state to be in, and one Souji was not used to. He was so distracted by the wrench in the works that he barely noticed when Nanako greeted him and told him that she had (proudly) made dinner herself and it was curry.

Despite being caught in his thoughts, Souji was able to find the curry in the refrigerator, avoiding the tub of grass and a strangely purplish bunch of apples he didn’t recall being there the day before. Something nagged at him.

He ate dinner at the table while Nanako watched Raging Love Ranging Rangers on the TV. The fight scenes were worse than he’d remembered from when he was a kid. They made him think of the movie he and Yosuke’d scene. He’d gone and put everything out there, expecting a great reaction. Maybe hatred. Maybe acquiescence or acceptance. Maybe awkwardness. And he’d gotten....ignored. Yosuke had ignored him. There was a burning heat and his fingers tingled.

At some point, it’d gotten late. Souji let Nanako stay up for one more episode, then put her to bed. She wished Souji goodnight. He heard her sigh and say she wished her dad had at least called to say he’d be late. Souji shut the door behind him. His fingers tingled even more.

An hour or so later a clatter came from the front hallway. Souji opened the door for his uncle and the young detective, Adachi. As he watched Adachi stumble in with Doujima, barely able to hold his superior up, Souji realized what the tingling was.

He wanted to punch something.

Souji helped Adachi remove his uncle’s shoes, but let the detective take Doujima to bed. Neither of them had bothered to call and Nanako, even though she hadn’t shown it, had been worrying. Souji’s fingers tingled more.

He made some tea and waited for the young detective to put his uncle to bed and leave. It’d be rude of him to go to his room with company there, after all. And he couldn’t be seen being rude, could he now? Not now that he’d worked so hard to keep up his appearance. The time, insane hours, the fucking annoyance of listening to people with no lives yap on and on. There were very few people in Inaba Souji really gave a shat about whether or not they had the worst day of their lives. And one of them had had the balls to flat-out ignore Souji after they’d kissed because Souji was a Good Guy and Yosuke’d probably known Souji wouldn’t push it. And he couldn’t. Because he was a good guy now.

Adachi came out of Doujima’s bedroom loudly but steadily. He looked even more bedraggled than when he’d first come in the house with Doujima, probably from having to manage Doujima into bed. He was steady on his feet though, and his eyes weren’t glazed. He seemed to have sobered up quickly.

Souji wished he could kick the man out right then, but instead he thanked Adachi for taking care of his uncle and offered him some tea.

Adachi, clueless to all social cues in the world it seemed, grinned and plopped down at the table too. Souji poured him a cup. Adachi took a drink and smiled happily.

“You make a good cup of tea, Souji-kun.”

Souji nodded but said nothing. He just wanted Adachi to leave so he could go up to his room and his bed and figure out what the fuck to do about tomorrow.

“You’ve made yourself quite at home here.”

Souji looked at Adachi and tried to figure out whether that was a jab or not.

“Oh, I don’t mean like that,” Adachi held up a hand defensively. “It’s just, Nanako-chan loves you so much and Doujima-san seems to think pretty well of you, even if he is gruff. And you take care of Nanako and cook and make good tea. In fact, you do a lot more than a normal student your age would. It must be tough.”

Souji wondered if he should make up some comment about how he was indebted to his uncle for taking him in and he loved Nanako. Then, for a minute, he realized it was true. As soon as he did, it became impossible to say.

Souji thanked Adachi for the compliment and said it was the least he could do.

Adachi moved his head to one side than the other, stretching his neck.

“You don’t seem to be doing too well though. You look a bit...flustered again.”

Souji didn’t like people who didn’t know him assuming shit about him. He wanted Adachi out of the house.

Adachi smiled at Souji, waiting, expectant. He lightly pounded on his shoulders as if they were tense. It was an action Souji’d seen a million times before. Adachi’s neck was almost as slender as Yosuke’s. Souji thought about Yosuke’s head, hanging back on Souji’s desk at school.

“Just...I got in an argument with a friend. And now he’s ignoring me.”

“Ahh,” Adachi nodded, stretching his neck once more before resting his hands on his chin. “Teenagers can be difficult. It’s a hard time, especially for friends.”

Souji didn’t need to hear this kind of lecture from a man not even in his thirties, and he certainly didn’t need to hear it from Adachi.

“....is what I should say. But the fact of the matter is, even though adults just play these things off as ‘kid’ things, we’ve all gone through it. And it lasts into adulthood, no matter what anyone says. Friends always cause problems. That goes for everyone.”

Souji blinked at his tea. He hadn’t expected that. He’d expected some self-important, pseudo-mature speech from the young detective. He looked up to study Adachi closely.

Adachi was looking off in another direction, as if talking to himself.

“Hell, sometimes I think it’s just better not to have any friends. They rely on you, ask you to do things for them, with them, help them, and they just expect it because you’re friends. But the thing is, weak people tend to be attracted to strong people so a lot of the time it ends up being very one-sided, you know?”

Souji knew.

“Ah,” Adachi turned back to look at Souji with an alarmed, bashful look. “I’ve gone and said something pretty bleak to a high schooler. Even if you find yourself thinking that stuff a lot, if a fight with a friend is bothering you that much, it just means that person is important to you. And you should try really hard to make up, right? Your friend probably feels the same way you do right now.”

Souji doubted it. But knowing Yosuke, he probably was fretting his little brown head off in some way that very moment. Realizing that, Souji relaxed just slightly. It put them back on equal ground.

Adachi grinned nervously at Souji. It was like an older variation of Yosuke’s first smile. Souji realized Adachi was making sure he’d said the right thing.

“Thank you, Adachi-san. I think that’s very good advice.”

Adachi let out a sigh, his whole body slouching, and grinned. “Glad I could be of help!”

Adachi chattered while finishing his tea. At some point he had pulled his loose tie even looser. Souji caught a glimpse of chest that was flushed red. Adachi was probably still drunk. The bit of collarbone he’d caught was similar to Yosuke’s thin bones he’d seen through what little the v-neck teeshirts showed. Yosuke would probably have a similar build to Adachi when he was fully grown. Probably taller though. And more handsome. Adachi wasn’t unattractive but something about him made--

“Well then,” Adachi cleared his throat, “I better get going. Gotta make sure I still get in to work before Doujima-san tomorrow. That man bounces back from a hangover like nothing!”

Souji got up and saw Adachi to the door.

Adachi slipped on his shoes a bit wobbily and grinned at Souji, “Don’t forget to make up with your friend. It’s always good to have a partner.”

Souji blinked at Adachi’s wording and Adachi was already out the door. Souji locked it and went up to his bedroom.  
Laying on his bed, he wondered when it was exactly that he’d started thinking of it as his bed.

There were a lot of things in Inaba he thought of as his now.

That night, he dreamed of taking Yosuke’s headphones off. When he did, Yosuke just turned to look at him. He took the headphones right back, his fingers sliding unnecessarily slow down Souji’s arms, and then he walked away without a word. Souji made to go after him, but he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around to see Yosuke, smiling knowingly.

“Hey, Partner,” Yosuke said quietly, “want to wrestle?”

Souji woke up, his throat burning. He rushed to get up and his legs tangled in his sheets. There was a ripping sound and he managed to stand, knocking his cellphone to the floor. It blinked at him. One text message. Yosuke's name shone at him in the dark.

Souji dropped to his knees, his blanket still tangled around one foot. He scratched at the drawstring on his pants. His stomach clenched and bent over, the side of his face pressed hard to the floor, his shoulders heaving with sharp, deep breaths. Souji's whole body seized up and he jerked twice, his shoulder ramming into the floor.

He lay there, his weight uncomfortable, twitching slightly. His hot breath showed in the cold air.

After a moment, he reached out for his cellphone but it was slippery in his hand.

He left it blinking where it was.


	6. When the Sun Goes Down

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was written all in one go and is unedited, so please excuse it if it seems awkward or unrefined (like Yosuke).

On the list of things Souji didn’t like about Inaba, the fog was a close number two, only losing to the fact that everything closed by 8pm. No such thing as late-night runs to the convenience store with your friends for ice cream or cigs. Not that Souji needed another excuse to spend time with other people. It was just the fact that, after 8pm on a Saturday, the whole town may as well have been dead. And when the fog settled in, it was the rigormortis.

 

The fog affected everyone, whether they realized it or not. People that didn’t have school or work didn’t leave their houses. Everyone was more inclined towards down moods and the way people were on edge couldn’t be contributed to a lack of vitamin D. Even if they had no idea what the fog really meant lately, the heavy thing it could imply, somehow the citizens of Inaba knew somewhere in their bones that it was, at the very least, not good.

 

After he’d cleaned himself up and made his way back to his futon, Souji had felt it. He hadn’t noticed it before. He’d been preoccupied. But laying in his futon again, his sheets untwisted, he felt the dampness on his skin. The cold heaviness that came with Inaba rain, and the musty smell. And the rain...well...that was third on the list of things Souji didn’t like about Inaba. He was beginning to pick out which rain he disliked most. It didn’t feel clean, and the air didn’t smell fresh when that rain came. The rain was quiet as he lay in bed, a light trickle, but the smell was there. The smell of shadows. Something gone slightly rotten. If rain could rot. Eventually, the fog would come.

 

And if someone went missing, the fog meant a time limit. It meant he had to be a Leader. It gave him a thrill, but he knew if they fucked up, when that fog was gone, the damage would be irreparable to the soft Inaba people, and it would hit the Team the most.

 

Together with the results of Souji’s odd dream (and what he did after), the rain, with its implications, made it impossible for Souji to go back to sleep. He lay in his bed, feeling slightly chilled, and thinking about Yosuke’s stony face. Souji wondered what the following day at school would bring, and whether they would all be able to discuss the Midnight Channel. He’d be lucky if he could get a word out of Yosuke without stutters and blushes or angry looks.

 

Souji’s phone beeped once and blinked. The sun was rising.

 

Souji reached over and finally checked the messages on the phone. Both were from Yosuke.

 

gdi its raining was the first one.

 

It was from two hours before, when Souji had still been asleep. Souji stared at it. He hadn’t thought Yosuke would take the disgruntled co-worker approach. Was it like being paired with someone you didn’t like for a group report, doing it because you need to, but not wanting to be around the person? Or was this Yosuke’s attempt at making everything “normal” and “okay”? Both options meant negative thoughts from Yosuke, but the second one promised much more fun.

 

The second message read: i had a dream about u

 

Something pulsed warm in Souji’s stomach, making the skin and hair on his arms stand up with chill. A warm feeling inside that made the outside of him crawl and tense.

 

Souji thought of a million responses, all more suggestive than the one before, but in the end he decided to go with something that surprised even himself: the truth.

Me too.

 

He pressed send and smiled to himself, happy to be back on familiar ground--ground where he had the advantage and high point. Naturally Yosuke would want to know what the dream was, and was probably expecting Souji to think the same. Here, he could make a lie and change it depending on what reaction he wanted from Yosuke.

 

Which he didn’t get.

 

Yosuke was gone from school.

 

Souji sat, tapping the back of Yosuke’s chair, still pushed against the front of Souji’s desk, for all of Morooka’s class. He thought of the things he could text Yosuke. Innocent, enquiring questions that would make Yosuke stutter and flail. But he decided to wait. Reactions weren’t as good if they weren’t in person anyway. He wanted to see the red spread from Yosuke’s face to his forehead and ears and, if Souji kept at it, the red would go down to Yosuke’s chest in patches along his thin collarbone...

 

It was a bit infuriating though, waiting. When Chie wondered if she should text Yosuke, Souji encouraged her to do so. So Chie sent Yosuke a text during lunch and Yosuke responded, right before they had to return to class. His father had needed him for a special promotion at the store. Five people had called out sick.

 

Souji wondered if it were true, but figured it didn’t matter either way.

 

Yosuke didn’t text Souji after school either. Souji decided to go to the hospital. He hadn’t been there in a while. But once he got there, he felt an urge to leave again and go home. Cook dinner or something. He stared at the insinuating nurse openly to relieve some tension and earned himself an invitation to her apartment, which he turned down flat when he found himself wondering how Yosuke would look with tits. Probably really damn stupid.

 

He waited for an after-Junes-hours text but it didn’t come either. Yosuke always sent a text after working. It was official. Yosuke was avoiding him.

 

Well, that could be a good sign too. Souji would leave it be for a while.

 

* * *

 

 

Yosuke showed up at school the next day, looking perfectly normal and not sleep-deprived in the least. Souji eyed him slowly and let Yosuke notice he was eyeing him slowly. Yosuke turned to talk to Chie without saying anything.

 

Souji began to feel that swelling feeling he used to get in his arms and wrists right before he knew he was going to punch someone out. He had expected to be ignored, but not so obviously. Everyone was noticing. Which Souji didn’t give a shit about. But Yosuke thought the world about him, Souji and everyone else knew that, and he didn’t like the idea of people thinking that might change.

 

The school bell chimed while Yosuke was still jabbering at Chie. Souji, quietly, broke the conversation. “Yosuke,” he said, hand propping up his chin. “You better sit down. Morooka will be in any second.”

 

“Ah, yeah,” Yosuke turned and sat down in front of Souji. “Thanks.”

 

Souji, still with his chin on his hand, leaned forward a bit. “What, no ‘Partner’ today?”

 

Yosuke’s head jerked, to turn to look at Souji, but stopped half way. Souji could still see part Yosuke’s right eye, widened.

 

“Sorry, my bad, Partner.”

 

It was forced. Souji ground his teeth a bit, but didn’t say anything.

 

Yosuke didn’t ask him for any answers. And that was probably due to the fact that, despite looking completely normal, Yosuke apparently hadn’t had enough sleep the night before. He was asleep halfway through period, his head leaning back on Souji’s desk.

 

Souji poked at his hair and cheeks with the eraser on his pencil and smirked.

 

Lunch would have been awkward too (not that Souji would have minded) except “exciting” rumors had spread in the period of, well, four periods. The idol, Risette, was moving to Inaba.

 

Yosuke, Souji noted, was a bit too excited about this.

 

Well, that could be a good sign too. Souji would leave it be.

 

* * *

 

  
  


The third worst thing about Inaba was the rain. And how, when it rained, it lasted all day, and always, always past midnight.

 

The whole Team was up in arms. They’d gone to check on Rise, but even if she’d seemed fine, everyone knew what was coming. They watched her, tracked her. Hell, they’d all become practically stalkers. But there were about twenty giant neon arrows pointing to the chick, screaming that this chick was next.

 

So, right before midnight Souji pulled his curtains closed on the rain and turned to the dinkyass, ancient TV in his room.

 

He hadn’t been expecting it, but Yosuke’s traditional call-after-a-victim-shows-up-on-tv came like normal. Yosuke babbled and chattered and threw in some things about how they needed to keep an even closer eye on the idol who’d filled up half his conversations lately.

 

* * *

 

 

It was a weird move, working with Adachi. But he actually listened, even if he waved it off. And it became obvious the police were starting to catch on. They’d just gotten there the long way around. Big surprise. With Adachi, who, didn’t seem very good at his job but was highly motivated, they’d caught some lameass oggling Rise. But everyone knew it wasn’t done there. A panty-sniffing pervert wasn’t throwing people into TVs to murder them.

 

With six people on the Team, they were able to split up. They took turns training, working their ways through the different worlds within the TV world, standing guard, and keeping random watch on Rise’s family tofu shop. Souji, as Leader, always went into the TV world, and that suited him just fine. If the Team hadn’t made it an unspoken rule, he would have suggested it. He’d been building up a lot of steam and needed excuses to cut loose on something he could pound the shit out of without going to jail.

 

Yosuke seemed to be equally into it. When he came on the training runs, he was faster, quicker to dodge, and quicker to rush in. Either he was really fired up about the danger Rise inevitably faced, or he had his own steam to blow off.

 

Either way, it was pleasing to see Yosuke at work, spinning in like a flying dagger, kicking and slashing. Souji appreciated the growing fighting skills. And fighting together meant Yosuke had to forget about being awkward with Souji. He even gave a grin when he helped Souji up after a particularly nasty bout. Blood had been smeared on the corner of his Yosuke’s mouth and it smeared when he smiled.

 

Souji went to sleep thinking of the different ways he could have gotten it off.

 

* * *

 

 

Time rode a motorcycle from hell, coming and going without saying goodbye. The whole Team had been working hard.

 

A few days later, sore from all the fighting they’d been doing, Souji stared up at the moon through the gap in his curtains. It shone hazy and lumpily through the condensation building on the glass outside. Fucking fog.

 

Everyone was a lot calmer this time, if not completely fucking confused. They’d been watching Rise’s house during the days. The MO was the same as before. No one saw anyone suspicious come or go, and there’d been no struggle.

 

Yosuke seemed to take the hit pretty bad. Maybe he was being reminded of Saki, or maybe he was just as bummed as the rest of them that they knew what was going to happen and still couldn’t stop it. He put on a good mask but was oddly untalkative during their meeting on what the hell to do next.

 

It wasn’t much surprise that they came up with the same thing they did every time.

 

“We’ll just have to go save her,” Chie said, crossing her arms.

 

Yukiko nodded curtly. Kanji, next to her, did too, and it made a funny juxtaposition.

 

“Do you think she’ll get bear naked with me if we rescue her?!”

 

Chie punched Teddie in his suit head and he whined.

 

“Man...I’m not lookin’ forward to this one,” Kanji said. “Now that I know what it’s like, I feel bad for her. We’re gonna go in there, in her thoughts. I know how that feels.”

 

Everyone, except Souji, nodded.

 

“It’s better than dying,” Yosuke said quietly across from Souji.

 

Souji wondered if he was the only one who had heard. It made his jaw tense.

 

They agreed on a time to meet at Junes.

 

Yosuke’s eyes were downcast. Souji had an urge to jerk Yosuke’s chin up with his hand. He reached across the table, his fingers a foot from Yosuke’s face. Yosuke, realizing, jerked back, eyes wide. Everyone turned to stare at them.

 

“Ah, sorry, you scared me, Partner. I was just off in my own world thinking about the plan. Sorry for being such a space case.”

 

Souji pulled in everything that was about to explode and smiled. “No problem.” He finished reaching forward and flicked Yosuke’s nose, which got a good reaction. Yosuke blushed and began ranting about how Chie was rubbing off on everyone, beating him up, and he’d never have peace. Chie protested with her fists and Kanji leaned over to run interference, looking all the world like a mom who doesn’t know how to stop her kids from tearing each other apart. Yukiko at Souji and began chuckling.

 

Teddie jumped into the fray, asking people to flick his nose too. Souji could feel the sweetness of the moment eating away at the enamel on his teeth. Despite himself, he grinned.

 

* * *

 

 

They’d gotten double what they could have imagined.

 

First there had been just getting through Rise’s world, which was like looking through your neighbor’s porn collection. It had made everyone uncomfortable, especially after Kanji’s bath house. And then there was Rise’s shadow. And then...the thing that nearly wiped them all out, Teddie’s unexpected and totally bad-timed self-realization issues that had shoved them right from Rise’s frying pan into a nihilistic fucking fire.

 

The only person who’d gone home okay that night was, ironically, Rise. She’d gone home having made peace with her shadow. Everyone else played it cool but they were beat to hell, even after Yukiko made the rounds and healed them all. And she had taken the worst of it. Yukiko was proving to be one tough chick. She’d had to guard herself nearly half the time or she would have been wiped out in one attack. It was like a game of chess where you got to punch out your opponent every time you made a better or fast move.

 

They parted their separate ways in the dark, Chie and Yukiko escorting Rise home. Yosuke went ahead too. But when he was about to leave, the battered and basically fucked up flat Teddie pulled Souji aside. Souji listened to Teddie’s existential crisis attentively, like he knew he should as friend and Leader, but brushed it off. It was probably just a passing whim. Teddie would find a way to get his circumference back and be asking them about having sex every five minutes in no time flat.

 

Souji left the TV world, stumbling a bit when it spat him out. A hand reached out and caught him. Yosuke looked at him oddly from the side.

 

“You okay, Partner?”

 

Wanna wrestle, Partner?

 

Souji shook his head. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

 

Souji stood up, but Yosuke kept his hand on his elbow. Souji glanced at it, then back to Yosuke, but Yosuke was looking in the way of the exit. They started walking, Yosuke checking every corner in order to dodge employees that would recognize him. People were milling about in the produce section.

 

Souji realized it must only be seven or eight o’clock. He was exhilarated from the fight still. A rush of adrenaline making his head swimmy, but he hadn’t expected it to be barely dinner time when they got out. They had just struggled through a pounding strip joint full of mosnter, fought two shadows, gotten their asses handed to them, rescued an idol, and some people in town wouldn’t even be home from work yet. Nanako was probably just starting dinner. It’d be curry again.

 

Souji looked around him and realized that no one would ever know the two high school boys walking down the fruit isle had almost died that night.

 

Yosuke led Souji out through sliding doors that opened with a powerful whoosh.

 

“That was pretty harsh, huh?”

 

“Yeah. It’s good we did all that training,” Souji replied vaguely.

 

“It’s a good thing one of us can deflect attacks.”

 

“...yeah.”

 

“You know you saved our asses back there. If you weren’t able to change persona and use those strong attacks, it wouldn’t have mattered how many we deflected.”

 

Souji nodded, wondering where this was going.

 

“It’s kind of depressing, isn’t it?”

 

Souji turned to look at Yosuke, stopping. Yosuke stopped a pace or two ahead of him.

 

“We’re the only ones that know all this. I mean, we’re also the only ones who get really cool personas and stuff but we go in there and risk our lives all the time to save people that we don’t even know well. And besides them, no one will ever know.”

 

Souji wasn’t expecting this. Yosuke was always the gung-ho righteous one.

 

“And then, sometimes when I think this, I think about what my shadow said. About me just wanting people to like me. And then I wonder if maybe I haven’t really made peace with it and I haven’t really grown at all. Everyone else is overcoming their problems, but I’m still stuck at square one, and I have nothing else to make up for it.”

 

Souji decided something reassuring and reinstating Yosuke’s sense of worth would be good to say. He opened his mouth but Yosuke cut him off.

 

“No, I know what you’re going to say. I’m being dumb. We are the only ones who can do this, and this is the right thing to do, and that’s why we’re doing it and that’s why I’ll keep doing it until we catch this murderer.”

 

The determination in Yosuke’s voice was almost startling. Souji nodded and realized he was smiling a little too.

 

They had made their way down a few streets while talking. They got to the intersection where Yosuke would split off if he wanted the shortcut to his own house, but Yosuke kept walking with Souji.

 

“Don’t you need to go home?”

 

“Why? I always walked with you before.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Huh,” Yosuke paused and looked at Souji. “What?’

 

“Why do you always walk with me? It’s almost night and it’s shorter for you to go the other way.”

 

Instead of blushing like Souji’d expected, Yosuke looked down a bit at his feet.

 

“I guess a lot of reasons. I don’t have anything to do at home. Teddie didn’t come back with us. It’d just be me and mom. And, honestly dude, you don’t look too hot. I don’t know if the others noticed but, whenever you have to switch persona all the time, it seems like you get tired out faster.”

 

Souji’s eyes opened. He hadn’t even noticed that himself, but thinking on it, it really did seem true.

 

“And today you were, like, superman or something. Crack change persona, attack. Crack change again, attack. It was like watching someone loading and reloading a gun.”

 

Souji grinned, “you know I prefer swords.”

 

“Don’t lie, that golf club is totally your favorite. I’m going to get it gold-plated for your fiftieth birthday,” and there was Yosuke Smile number two.

 

Damn, Souji hadn’t realized it’d been weeks since he’d seen it.

 

“Oh, here’s your house. You think your uncle’s home?”

 

They walked up to the door, cats scattering in front of them. “Probably not. Probably still out searching for Rise. I wonder what they’ll think when she shows up with Chie and Yukiko.”

 

“Hopefully it won’t cause any trouble.”

 

“Yeah,” Souji stepped up to the door and turned back to Yosuke. “You know, I’m fine. You don’t have to walk home with me every time. Now you have to walk alone, later than you would have. What if something happens to you?”

 

Yosuke grinned, “Dude, I’ll be fine. I’m too cool to get kidnapped. And don’t worry, I know you won’t collapse or anything. I don’t really walk home with you because of that.”

 

Souji hid a grin and quirked an eyebrow. “Oh?”

 

“I walk home with you because you’re...my partner, of course,” Yosuke stated with hardly any hesitation. He should have been blushing or turning away. But he was acting totally fine.

 

Souji didn’t even have to calculate. He could feel his face actually fall. He’d thought he’d found the beginnings of victory. Instead, he was a bit shocked. And then the anger started. Partner? What was this bullshit? Was Yosuke trying to passive aggressively tell Souji he wasn’t interested? Was this a test to see if Souji had been serious about the kiss? Was Yosuke trying to see if they could still be “Partners” like always, and that kiss was just a weird tick or something?

 

It had gotten darker but Yosuke still noticed the change on Souji’s face.

 

“Er, I mean--”

 

“I’m really tired, Yosuke. And Nanako is in there alone. I’ll see you at school tomorrow.”

 

Souji let just a bit of his disappointment show through in his voice. Yosuke looked a bit stricken.

 

“Y-yeah. Get some rest.”

 

Souji opened the front door.

 

“G’night, Partner,” Yosuke called as he closed it behind him. It was a like a goddamn nail in the coffin. Souji felt it like a kick in the kidney.

 

It was all Souji could do not to slam it shut. He turned to the closest thing--the entry way wall--and made to kick it, but realized that wouldn’t do anything but piss off his uncle when he found a footprint three feet up on the plaster.

 

Souji took his shoes off, not bothering to arrange them like normal.

 

In the four feet from the entryway to the living room, he got himself in check. Nanako was, sure enough, at the stove chopping carrots with her knife meant for kids.

 

“Welcome, home, Big Bro,” she beamed at him.

 

“I’m home,” he beamed back. “What are you making? It smells delicious.”

 

“Curry!”

 

“Great. I’ll help you.”

 

* * *

 

 

By the time Souji had put Nanako to bed, he was ready to do serious damage. His uncle, who still hadn’t returned from work even though his adorable daughter wondered if her father had eaten dinner, became the target of Souji’s anger.

 

It didn’t help that, when his uncle finally got home, he was completely sloshed.

 

“Dammit…! Who put a shtep here!?” echoed from the entranceway. There was a lot of fumbling and thumping and Doujima appeared, supported by Adachi.

 

Souji didn’t even bother hiding his look of disgust. Doujima was too busy ranting about a kid coming to replace all the policemen or some crazy shit. Souji did not move to get tea and did not offer anything to Adachi either. He sat, stonily, watching as Adachi helped Doujima collapse on the couch. The muscles in Souji’s arms were twitching involuntarily. He hadn’t wanted to clock someone that bad since his dad first told Souji he was being kicked to Inaba.

 

He hadn’t punched his dad. But as Souji watched Doujima ask where Nanako was and if she’d already gone to bed (two hours ago!), he thought he might just let loose, even if Doujima was a brass.

 

It took quite a while, but as they sat, listening to Doujima rant about over-inflated brats, Adachi seemed to catch on to Souji’s anger. It took fucking long enough. Souji’d been letting it flow free. Anyone on the Investigation Team would have been worried to shit by then.

 

Doujima tottered himself upright enough to go take a piss. Adachi took the chance to talk.

 

“Er, I’m really sorry about this. Your uncle doesn’t usually drink this much, we just got some...er, disconcerting news today. Higher-ups bringing in other people to help the investigation.”

 

As the fucking well should. A group of five teenagers (and a bear...thing) had been able to find out more than an entire police squad. Souji remained staring blankly at Adachi.

 

Adachi rubbed at the back of his head nervously and the gesture was so similar to that thing Yosuke did when you thanked him, that Souji eased up just a little, letting his shoulders drop an inch.

 

“Your uncle, er, Doujima-san, works really hard. He puts his all into his work. And it makes him feel guilty, you know? He wants to be around Nanako-chan more and be a good dad for her, but he also really values the importance of his job and keeping people safe. So...well...’

 

Adachi trailed off, seeing Souji was still not quelled.

 

“D-did something else happen today? You seem mad but you look pretty worn out too. That handsome face of yours has some pretty dark circles on it.”

 

This startled Souji a bit. Usually Yukiko’s healing fixed up everything--including eyebags, scratches, and muscle fatigue. Mental stress was another thing but they all looked visibly fine afterward, usually.

 

“A few things.”

 

“Still fighting with your friend?”

 

“No. Well, yes, but this time it’s different. But that’s only part of it.”

 

“Er--what else happened?”

 

Adachi, with his disheveled hair and honestly interested look, was leaning forward, and for a moment he looked exactly like Yosuke did while they had their meetings in the food court. Maybe Yosuke could be a detective.

 

Suddenly Souji was tired. So he defaulted to the one reply that all adults understood but completely never understood.

 

“You’ve been a high school student. You know how it is,” he said, adding a heavy sigh for impact.

 

Adachi looked a little surprised, but, after seeming to give it a few seconds of thought, crossed his arms and nodded sagely in a way that just made him look ridiculous. Yosuke could definitely be a detective if this guy could.

 

“People are confusing, Souji-kun,” Adachi began with a small smile that looked ridiculous on a face with such wide, set-apart eyes. “And they never stop being confusing. You think you start to understand someone, get close, and next thing you know they’ve left you completely or they lash out with some hurtful side you didn’t think they had. And no one is exempt from this. The sweetest, cutest people can lie straight to your face and not even blink.”

 

Part of Souji’s interest was piqued by this. Why would an adult, a police officer no less, be telling him something like this? The other part of Souji wanted Adachi to shut the hell up. He didn’t need someone lecturing him on the dark side of humans. Souji faced those, literally, head-on every day, in ways Adachi couldn’t imagine.

 

Adachi’s expression softened. He pulled at his tie loosening it, and Souji could see the collarbone that reminded him of Yosuke’s. Adachi seemed to realize he’d said too much. He was blushing down his neck.

 

Adachi cleared his throat, “You know--”

 

“What the fu--” came a gruff voice, followed by a clanging noise.

 

Adachi looked at Souji, embarrassed. Normally, Souji would have to act the embarrassed one, taking responsibility for his Uncle. But his uncle wasn’t his responsibility. He was just another adult who couldn’t understand shit about other people around him.

 

Adachi hurried up and disappeared to the bathroom to help Adachi. They both came staggering out. Adachi didn’t manage to hold Doujima the whole time, so Doujima plunked down on the floor, next to Souji. He smelled like booze. On his friends, the smell had been funny, young. But on an adult it was just depressing and really, really starting to piss Souji off.

 

“I have a test tomorrow, so I’ll be going to bed, Uncle,” Souji stated sharply. He nodded to Adachi and made his way upstairs. Adachi could let himself out.

 

Souji laid in bed, his phone laying quietly by his head. The moon was shining so brightly, it was coming through the curtains, shining in a blurred patch a few feet from Souji’s futon. He reached out, but it was just a bit too far, only lighting up the tips of his fingers in a weird white. Inaba was small as hell and didn’t have much going for it besides a supernatural serial killer and the oddest students ever (what was up with that funky guy?) but Inaba had something Tokyo didn’t--night. In Tokyo, if you weren’t in a far-out district, the lights were so bright that you could walk around anywhere, any time of day, and it wouldn’t really feel like night. Stars were a myth. The moon was a vague idea in girls’ romantic heads.

 

Someday, when he knew Doujima would be late, or maybe on a school holiday, Souji would let Nanako stay up late. They could sit on the porch and watch the moon. He could bring Yosuke over. He’d chat with Nanako and Souji could just...sit. And listen.

 

The idea had an insanely calming effect. Souji felt his pent-up rage sneak back somewhere until it had a better time to come out. His eyes felt heavy.

 

He had been asleep what felt like two seconds when the Junes jingle woke him up, tinkling by his head. Souji had set it as his notification tone for Yosuke because it got annoyed Yosuke. He had also changed Yosuke’s name in his phone to Junes Prince for one day then changed it back when Yosuke turned beat red and demanded it.

 

But it still meant one thing--message from Yosuke. How long had Souji been asleep? He looked at the clock on his phone. Fifteen minutes maybe. He clicked the message icon.

 

“gnite partner. ttyl”

 

So Yosuke hadn’t gone to sleep yet either. Well, that didn’t mean anything. It didn’t mean he was laying in bed, thinking about Souji. Then again, maybe Yosuke was scared that his attitude earlier had upset Souji (which it had, but Yosuke wasn’t supposed to know). Maybe Yosuke was scared he had jeopardized their precious friendship.

 

Souji turned over, leaving his phone behind, feeling a cool frustration building up again. He looked back but the moon was already past his window, a general white glow only reaching a foot or two into the room. It didn’t calm him at all.

 

A light thump came from below. Souji concentrated his hearing. Was Nanako up for a drink of water? Souji didn’t hear the noise of cupboards. Probably Doujima up to hurl up his drink in the toilet. There was another thump, lighter this time, but that was it. Souji wondered if he should get up and help his uncle. But seeing Doujima plastered would probably just piss Souji off more. Let the man suffer for going drinking instead of coming home to his kid.

 

The sound was more muffled now, but Souji swore he heard Doujima say something.

 

Fucking hell. Souji got out of bed, giving his phone a glare. He didn’t bother with a shirt. Doujima might just hurl on it anyway.

Souji stumbled down the stairs in the dark, only bothering to be quiet because Nanako was sleeping.

 

Souji got into the kitchen. He leaned on the fridge, listening. After a few minutes of nothing, he shrugged, annoyed, and opened the fridge door. The tiny-ass light inside was blinding. He almost reached for a tub of what looked oddly like mud instead of the water pitcher.

 

Souji stood up with the pitcher, the light still blinding him, and stopped, mid motion, the door still open.

 

The door to Doujima’s room had slid open and someone, no, was that Adachi? was standing in the doorway, frozen. Souji looked at Adachi blankly, his site evening out quickly. Enough for Souji to recognize that the young detective was, in fact, naked except for boxers. Black, surprisingly. And too big for him. Souji scowled and closed the refridgerator door.

 

He leaned against the counter, his eyes not leaving Adachi. Adachi looked ready to piss himself.

 

“Er...Souji-kun...”

 

Souji raised an eyebrow.

 

“Water,” he offered, nodding towards the pitcher.

 

“Er, no, thanks!” The last vowel squeaked higher than the rest and Souji had to hold back a grin. Adachi sounded like Yosuke when he had been forced to go into Kanji’s bath house.

 

But there were more serious matters at hand here. Except that, there really weren’t. Souji was surprised to find that he wasn’t really surprised at all and, more importantly, didn’t give a shit.

 

Souji pulled a glass from the dish rack by the sink and poured his water, slowly, watching Adachi from the corner of his eye.

 

“Um, I should...clothes,” Adachi nearly yelled, then shut himself up.

 

“You’ll wake up Nanako like that....and Uncle. If he’s asleep.” Souji added as an afterthought, a grin starting to make the sides of his mouth twitch.

 

Adachi sighed and, as if going to his death, slid the bedroom door behind him and stepped into the kitchen area. The vague light was coming in through the sliding glass that led to the porch area. Souji’s eyes had adjusted fully.

Adachi was, indeed, only in his boxers, and they did indeed look like the ones Nanako and Souji washed every week for Doujima.

 

Adachi made as if to move to sit down on the couch, but then decided better.

 

“Look, about this--”

 

“Why are you wearing Uncle’s boxers,” Souji asked innocently. “Those are his right?”

 

Adachi’s eyes widened. “Well, see, I--” Adachi’s shoulders hunched forward, the concave dip from his collarbones getting deeper. Souji wondered what they’d look like with a fur hood brushing against them.

 

“And why were you sleeping in his room?”

 

“He was--” Adachi’s thin frame fidgeted. He had muscle, but a bit of fat at his stomach, probably from eating ramen on the job every day. It looked interesting against the rest of his abdomen, which was tight and smooth.

 

“That means no one locked up, right? That’s dangerous, Adachi-san,” and then Souji couldn’t help it. The smirk came out, full blown.

 

“Souji-kun,” Adachi nearly whined.

 

And that was the trigger.

 

Souji drank down his water slowly, but in one gulp. He set the glass in the sink. He’d wash it tomorrow.

 

He gave Adachi a slow look, from top to bottom, eyes lingering in the middle, then smiled sweetly.

 

“Make sure you lock the door,” Souji said, and headed for the stairs.

 

“Souji-kun,” Adachi called out, half pleading, half relieved.

 

Souji waved him off and was in his room seconds later.

 

He went straight to his bed and got in, mind blank from thinking all at once. Quite an interesting revelation.

 

Souji-kun.

 

The pleading, the whine, the high-pitched simper. It was so easy to imagine a different voice saying it. Someone else standing half-naked in front of him, exposed.

 

Partner.

 

The stiffness that Souji had felt coming grew. His whole body tensed. He lay in his bed, unmoving, hearing it again and again in his head.

 

Maybe he could fall asleep, despite the tension building at the bottom and deep into his stomach. He decided it would be a bad idea to do anything. And he was tired after all.

 

Maybe he would dream. And, maybe, just maybe, if he was lucky, Yosuke might ask him to wrestle again.

  
  
  
  



	7. Secret Door

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Souji is starting to lose his shit, and he's starting to turn back into the person he was before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I sort of forgot about this story, but I kept getting emails from AO3 with people liking it, so I decided to hammer out another chapter. This chapter was written in basically one sitting, and is unedited. I apologize for any typos.

The dreams got more intense. There was a lot more wrestling and a lot less clothing. There were no masks anymore. Souji woke up from them feeling like his and Yosuke's relationship was not nearly as involved as it could be.

 

Things were back to normal with the Investigation Team. Rise had recovered alright, returned to school, and was now eating lunch with the rest of the team, who's tiredness (and Chie's reputation for martial arts) helped chase away any students who may have wanted to bother Rise about her idol-status or the days she had disappeared from school.

 

Teddie hadn't come back from the TV world, and Yosuke was beginning to get fidgety about it, but everyone agreed Teddie probably just needed more time to sort out his existence and add some volume to his circumference.

 

Otherwise, everything else was normal. Relatively peaceful, even.

 

No one realized Souji was about to lose his shit.

 

After he realized his issue (Yosuke) and how much it affected him, he couldn't ignore it anymore. The issue was laughing in his face every day between classes, staring questioningly into his eyes during Investigation meetings, and trying to walk home with him afterwards.

 

Yosuke had balls. If Souji kept having to give the idiot more credit, he'd max out all his cards.

 

He had to hand it to Yosuke, his so far to Souji locking lips in with him in public was to ignore that it had happened, but he didn't back away from Souji at all after those first days he had skipped school. Sure, Souji thought that one of Yosuke's responses might be to pretend like nothing had happened. That Souji hadn't kissed him flat-out in public, that they were still friends and everything was normal. And Yosuke was doing just that. But Yosuke took things to a whole new level of “normal”.

 

Souji thought Yosuke had been clingy before, and he had been really damn wrong. Yosuke was still hanging around Souji at school and for the investigation stuff, but he was also weaseling his way to _every other part_ of Souji's day too. And that was saying something because Souji had a _lot_ of shit going on.

 

Yosuke asked if he could volunteer at the daycare several times when he wasn't working at Junes. He showed up at the hospital with lunch for Souji (Junes food court fare, of course), side-eying the female nurses. Yosuke came to watch Souji's basketball game.

 

For all intensive purposes, it looked like Yosuke had taken that dumb-ass kiss as a chance to claim Souji as a boyfriend. He was way worse than Ai and way more clingy than any other girl.

 

Souji would have smirked and considered this result a full victory, except for the fact that when Yosuke brought him lunch, it was for his “Partner” and he gave Souji a knowing look when one of the nurses got much friendlier with Souji than what bed-side manner called for. When Yosuke cheered at Souji's basketball games, it was always “You can do it, Partner, beat their butts!”. And when he was free, Souji was begged to “help a partner out” on sales days at Junes.

 

Partner.

 

Partner.

 

_Part_ ner.

 

_Partner._

 

Souji had gotten it the first sixty-three times. But Yosuke seemed intent on reminding him of what they were. How extremely close they were, and always would be, and how close they _weren't,_ and never would be. He seemed damn set on making sure they were even better partners than before the whole incident. But nothing more.

 

Souji had thought they were making progress. He had thought the fact that Yosuke was still walking home with him, even if he did avoid the topic, was progress. But this could only be written as a total regression. A complete loss. Souji didn't like losing.

 

And the kicker? Youskestill had the fucking balls to blush every time they bumped elbows or he fell asleep with his hair hanging down on Souji's desk. It didn't give Souji a thrill anymore. Where he had purposefully ran his fingers over Yosuke's hair before or “accidentally” brushed Yosuke's hands just to watch his reactions, he now avoided contact. Because, The Damn Nerve of Him.

 

How Yosuke could parade around, proving to Souji that they were the ultimate buddies, total bros, the best partners ever, and _still_ have the nerve to turn tomato if Souji looked at him for more than five seconds....well, that was just one fucking bit too much.

 

Souji knew what Yosuke was doing. He was doing the responsible thing. Letting Souji know that he still cared about him and cherished their friendship even if he wasn't into rubbing dicks with his best bud. Yosuke thought that Souji would need that reassurance. It was offensive, obtuse, and downright fucking insulting.

 

Souji, against his pride and better judgement, became unresponsive. He knew doing so was basically like putting up a white flag and admitting he'd lost whatever game it was he'd secretly been playing. The thing was, he'd thought he'd been playing it with Yosuke, but it had been a game Souji invented, a game he made all the rules for, and he had been playing it alone.

 

It was good that Yosuke was back to his non-stop talking. His jabbering and complaining. That meant Souji didn't have to do anything other than nod every so often. If he'd had to actually talk, he thought he'd blow his preppy bowl-cut top.

 

Souji knew what he was doing. He knew himself better than anyone. He was sulking. And bitter. The only people who had ever refused him were his parents. So he sulked and was angry. He knew that he was doing it for attention, but when Yosuke gave it to him, he found himself disgusted.

 

Yosuke was bordering on stalker territory. If he'd been doing it to anyone else, Yosuke would have been one panty-sniff away from a lawsuit. He asked Souji to spend the night at his place several times and when Souji didn't feel like playing the gay chicken game (the We Can Totally Sleep in the Same Room Like Hetero-Normal Dudes Who are the Best Partners Ever and Blush When They Touch Because That Brolove Is Soooo Srong Game)....well, Souji refused politely.

 

When Yosuke had said that was fine and would it be cool if he came to stay at the Doujimas' house, Souji explained that (and this actually wasn't a lie) his uncle had been in a bad mood lately. At least Yosuke understood what that meant.

 

Doujima was staying at work later and later. One night he even slept at the precinct office. He'd never done that before. He'd come home drunk as a damn skunk or draped over Adachi, but he had never _not_ come home.

 

He came home in the morning, bags under his eyes, and flopped on the couch, hands over his face. Souji had already been awake but Nanako was still sleeping. Souji had contained his anger and made his uncle a cup of coffee. Doujima had gone in to kiss Nanako, changed his shirt, and left before Nanako woke up. Back to work. Souji was left to see a confused Nanako off to school an hour later.

 

He shot down Yosuke at least five times and had ran out of polite excuses the following day when Yosuke suggested they go fishing together. Just to chill and calm down since they would be going into the TV world the next day. Souji would have preferred anything else over fishing, except maybe a sleepover. Fishing meant they'd be alone, by the river, with nothing else to do but talk while they waited for fish to bite.

 

It was starting to drizzle lightly. Souji wished to all hell that it would just start pouring rain. But there he was, sitting on the riverbank. And Yosuke had the fucking nerve to be _late_.

 

He was sitting there, wondering how long he could wait before it would be an acceptable amount of time to leave, when Yosuke showed up. He was looking anxious and embarrassed and was trailing Chie with him.

 

Souji gripped the fishing pole so tight, he bent it a bit. He was thankful for Chie's presence. It meant being with Yosuke wouldn't be awkward and he was less likely to “Partner, Partner, Partner” Souji.

 

But what the fuck? Seriously.

 

He had asked Souji a million times to do things, just the two of them, and then the first time Souji agrees, he brings Chie to run interference?

 

Souji realized that somewhere inside, the itchy part was stirring. He felt his fists clenching. That old, familiar feeling.

 

When Chie dragged Souji away from fishing and suggested they spar on the riverbank while Yosuke watch for fish, Souji responded positively without even thinking. Before, he would have analyzed the situation and known it was not the time to enter a fight, even if it was for training. But he just wanted to get away from Yosuke's annoying-ass voice and glinting, wet collarbones.

 

Souji wanted to burn every last one of Yosuke's nine orange v-neck shirts to save his own sanity.

 

Chie started with the normal kicks and the ridiculous poses she'd learned from her martial arts flicks. Souji let her get in a few light hits, just to feel the pain, but he refused to copy her moves. Yosuke watched from the riverside; Souji's fishing pole was dangling over one of his arms.

 

Souji let Chie land another hit, softening it with his arm.

 

He pretended to move in for a sweep, and she jumped back, sending a fairly solid kick his way that just missed his ribs.

 

From the riverside Yosuke hooted and cheered.

 

“ _C'mon_! She's beating the crap out of you, _Partner_!”

 

Fingers twitched and then Souji lost it, for just a second. Just one second. But it was enough to land a fast punch.

 

To her credit, Chie didn't fall down. But she took a bracing step back, looking shocked. There was a clatter behind them and Yosuke was running to Chie, asking if she was okay. Chie was still shocked as she wiped a bit of blood from the corner of her mouth.

 

Yosuke was freaking out more than Chie, looking around for something to give to her to wipe the blood.

 

Souji stood, just watching. His fingers were still twitching. He looked at the blood that came away on Chie's fingers and watched a panicked Yosuke, like it was all a slow-motion scene. Yosuke's yelp when he got too close to Chie brought Souji out of his daze.

 

Souji took a step forward. Chie didn't step back, but Yosuke stepped in front of her.

 

“Dude, what the hell was that for? Why did you punch her?!”

 

“Yosuke, we were sparring. This stuff happens,” Chie said defensively behind him. “I get way more beat up than this every time we go into the TV.”

 

“Yeah, but we don't hit each other in the TV! He _hit_ you. Like, actually _hit you!_ ”

 

“That just means he's been holding back on me all the other times we've sparred and trained,” Chie said pointedly.

 

“You don't hit friends _like that_!”

 

Souji looked past Yosuke, ignoring him, into Chie's face. She was composed, but he could see a bit of shock still there in the way her eyes shifted down a bit. Suddenly Souji felt something he hadn't felt in a really long time. He didn't try to step past Yosuke, but he looked Chie directly in the eyes.

 

“I'm so sorry, Chie.”

 

It came out a bit strained and very quiet. Souji didn't talk much, especially not lately, so when he did, he liked to think that people would understand it meant more.

 

Chie blinked a bit and then smiled, putting a death grip on Yosuke's shoulder and moving him out of the way.

 

“It's fine! If I can't take one hit from our leader, how can I fight that stupid murderer when we find him, right? I'm a little sad you've been holding out on me the whole time. Now I'll have to start fighting you with my full strength,” Chie grinned and puffed her chest out.

 

Yosuke started to cringe under her grip.

 

Souji apologized again and said that he should head home to Nanako because Doujima was coming home late. Chie nodded and let go of Yosuke, who looked like he wanted to say something but didn't. Souji left his fishing pole for them to use and headed up the embankment.

 

Chie had forgiven Souji, but neither she nor Yosuke tried to stop him from leaving.

 

* * *

 

 

Nanako's favorite shoes were gone and a pair of loafers that were a few sizes too small to be Doujima's were in the entrance way when Souji got home.

 

When had he started thinking of it as “going home” and not “going to his uncle's” he wasn't really sure, but it probably happened somewhere between his parents abandoning him with a relative he never remembered meeting and not bothering to talk to him since. The Doujima house was his house now, Nanako was his sister, and she and Souji kept the place running. Souji found himself pissed off to all hell at Doujima again. More pissed than he'd ever gotten at his own parents. He wanted to think it was because Doujima _wasn't_ his family, but it was the opposite. It was because Doujima actually gave a fuck about him. Besides his work, Doujima had nothing except Nanako and Souji. Which pissed Souji off even more, because Souji knew Doujima gave a fuck about them and he _still_ wasn't around.

 

Doujima could kick Souji out to the curb—his parents had done that before—but to leave Nanako behind and then have the balls to feel stupid guilty afterwards? Yeah, no. Doujima only had three important things in his life, and he couldn't even manage them.

 

Make that four.

 

“Hello, Adachi-san.”

 

“Ah, Souji-kun! Welcome home.”

 

Souji didn't know whether the last time his uncle had hosted a pants-less Adachi had been a first, but he figured it probably wasn't.

 

The picture of Adachi, shaking in boxers too big for him and blushing like crazy came back to mind.

 

“Doujima-san said to tell--”

 

“Me that he'll be home late again? Alright. Thank you. But he should really send you to tell _his daughter_ , since she's the one who watches over the house. Or, you know, call the house himself at least.”

 

Souji hadn't meant for it to come out so biting, what he said, but that was what he really felt. He was just letting his cover slip a little. Everyone loved Souji. They loved a Souji who was selfless, brave, and had no time for himself.

 

Adachi sighed and rubbed at the back of his head, a familiar action that just ticked Souji off more.

 

“He wanted someone to check on Nanako-chan in case you were out, and he's out on the job now, so he can't really call. Nanako-chan went to play at a friend's house,” he pointed towards a memo on the table, “so I thought I'd wait a bit and see if you came home,” the goofy grin was back on Adachi's face.

 

“He's been late, _quite often,_ hasn't he _?_ Will he be _sleeping_ there tonight too?

 

For as clueless as Adachi could be, he didn't miss the subtext. He looked surprised, slightly offended, then ashamed, as if he were emotionally standing in for Doujima. At least Adachi had the sense to look ashamed.

 

Souji walked past Adachi, noticing for the first time that he was slightly taller, and sat down at the table, leaning back in the chair, the way his teachers used to scold him for.

 

“Look, I don't care who my uncle fucks. Man, woman, horse, whatever. But Nanako thinks the world shines out his ass, and he needs to come home sometimes so the world can shine. You get me?”

 

Adachi was shocked.

 

Fuck. He'd slipped again, and this time it was probably wasn't salvageable. Fuck.

 

No, Souji could handle it. If Adachi wanted to say anything to Doujima or anyone else about Souji's preferred way of speech, well, Souji could just tell the talkative old women in town that he was worried because that young detective had been walking around his uncle's house in only skivvies and Souji is worried he may influence Nanako. Also, Doujima and the young detective seem to fight in Doujima's room sometimes. Souji can hear thumping and strained sounds at night. Why would they do that? At least the two adults didn't fight in front of Nanako, but what if they woke her up? He's just worried...

 

Souji imagined what the look on Adachi's face would be like, after the old women had put two and two together and gone to confront him. He'd blush from the cheeks down. His eyes that were slightly too far apart would go wider than they already were (childish eyes for an adult). He'd stammer and he'd probably sweat a bit, the drops starting at his forehead and running down his jaw line....maybe all the way to that collarbone.

He imagined the same sweat running under an orange-collared v-neck.

 

“Still fighting with your friend?”

 

Adachi looked he wasn't sure if he was supposed to, and definitely wasn't sure if he wanted to, but he sat down at the table, across from Souji.

 

Souji could resort to blackmail, but he'd rather not. It was too much trouble. It would be easier to pretend like his outburst had been just because he was angry. A one-time thing. The result of too much shit going on. And, in a way it was. He could have reigned it in if other shit hadn't been going on.

 

“Not...really. It's weird but we're not fighting.”

 

Adachi raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything.

 

Souji realized he was gonna have to talk if he wanted Adachi out of the house any time soon.

 

“But he got angry at me today. He did something and it pissed me off, so I took it out on someone else and he got really angry at me. I deserved it.”

 

Souji didn't say anything else. Adachi had to talk.

 

“I'm not so good at these things but...did you apologize to the third person?”

 

Souji was surprised. He thought Adachi would ask what he had done or what Yosuke had done to piss him off. But he had asked about Chie.

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Did they forgive you?”

 

“Yeah, she did.”

 

“Good. Then you don't have to worry about that part. Dragging other people in to your fights is the worst.”

 

“We're not fighting anymore.”

 

“Really? Sounds like you are to me. If he can piss you off that much, there's some nasty stuff underneath there, right? It takes two people for that. You may think he's not mad at you anymore, but something's up if he's pissing you off so much when he didn't before. It's not just you. People are all bad sometimes.”

 

Souji felt one of his eyebrows raise unconsciously. Was Adachi more down to Earth than other adults, or was he just really shitty at giving advice?

 

Souji tried to suppress a twist of his lips. He covered it by resting his chin on his hand. He looked straight at Adachi.

 

“What do you think I should do then?”

 

“Well, I don't know how the problem started but if you--”

 

“It started because I want to fuck him.”

 

Adachi's eyes opened wide, then his cheeks flushed.

 

“Or be fucked by him. Either way's cool, but I'd prefer to be on top,” Souji shrugged, “I wanted to watch him squirm. Watch him turn red from the chest up.”

 

Adachi started to blush, his ears turning after his cheeks.

 

Souji continued, not moving his eyes from Adachi's body, not blinking.

 

“I wanted to hear him wimper.” He could hear Yosuke's whines when he nursed a wound after a battle, before Yukiko got to him. “Then listen to that turn into a moan.” He could hear the low humming Yosuke made when he was listening to headphones and his imagination turned it into a lower, gutteral sound.

 

He watched Adachi closely, watched as the base of his neck turn red, visible under his dress shirt that had the top buttons undone. Adachi pulled nervously at his tie, loosening it even more, and gulping.

 

Souji watched him do that, then moved his chin off his hand and folded his arms in front of him, leaning forward on the table.

 

“What do you think, Adachi-san? You see, I kissed him but he just went sort of limp. And then we both sort of took turns avoiding each other and now he's going around, reminding everyone and their cousin that we're friends. Don't you think that's too cruel?”

 

Souji put on a face that looked appropriately pained.

 

Adachi looked away and rubbed at the back of his head again, and Souji couldn't help smiling just a bit.

“W-well, you are at that age...”

 

Souji looked at Adachi inocently, imploringly. The handsome teenager asking for desparate love advice from an adult.

 

Adachi swallowed and glanced back at Souji. He cleared his throat and turned to look Souji straight on.

 

“He didn't bring it up at all?”

 

“No.”

 

“Nothing? But he keeps saying your friends?”

 

Souji nodded.

 

“Is this...the-uh—uh, Junes boy? The one we picked up for waving a sword around at the food court?”

 

Souji smiled calmly.

 

“Huh.”

 

Souji raised an eyebrow.

 

“No-I mean, I'm just surprised that's your type. He seems like, well, no offense, but a bit of a goofball.”

 

“Sometimes the things you do remind me of him.”

 

Adachi's eyes got big again. They looked even more unnatural like that. Like alien eyes or those big eyes on the anime girls. Adachi wasn't that good-looking, but this made him almost unattractive in a comedic way.

 

“Ahaha, should I take that as a compliment or an insult? Well, thank you? I guess? Anyway...why don't you try actually talking to him about it? If you let it keep going how it is, it sounds like you'll end up hating his guts and he'll get away without ever acknowledging what happened. He sounds a bit pathetic to me, to be honest. I bet he doesn't know what he wants. Even a straight guy would be happy to get a kiss from a kid as handsome as you,” Adachi chuckled.

 

Souji was once again surprised by Adachi's honesty. He definitely didn't give advice like other adults. What was it...Adachi seemed more bitter. More jaded. And he didn't bother covering it up like other adults did. It was refreshing.

 

Adachi was fidgeting and glancing at the clock.

 

Souji sat up straight, and made to move his glasses up, then realized he wasn't wearing them. Was Adachi confident material or an enemy, something to be conquered? He'd have to wait. He was having a hard time judging the cop he had originally thought was a total spacecase dimwit.

 

“Before you go, Adachi-san, can I have your cell phone number? Just in case I need some more advice? I think you're good at giving it.”

 

Adachi looked a little nervous. Probably wondering what Doujima would do to him if he found out Adachi had traded numbers with his under-age nephew.

 

“S-sure, Souji-kun.”

 

Souji took the surprisingly old-model cellphone from Adachi's hand, making sure to graze a few fingers along the way. Adachi's reactions were almost as good as Yosuke's would have been.

 

Souji thanked Adachi and showed him out of the house. He watched Adachi walk half way down the block before closing and locking the door.

 

Nanako came home at a time when she would have needed to start making dinner. Souji was already making it and she helped him finish and set the table for three people.

 

Souji felt almost nothing when he told her that her dad wouldn't be home for dinner, and he had no idea when he would.

 

When he tucked her into bed, though, he gave her a kiss on the forehead. He didn't think once before doing it, it just came naturally. She gave him a hug back.

 

For once, Souji was happy someone didn't know what he was like. He was happy he had built another Souji that was quiet and kind and helpful, if only for Nanako. Nanako didn't know his arms tickled and his fists itched when he wanted to fight. Didn't know that her Big Bro was fucked up enough to not only kiss his friend in public and then hate him when he didn't respond, that he was fucked up enough to punch his female friend because he was probably just sexually frustrated, or that he was fucked up enough to mess with the head of her father's male lover.

 

Hooooo boy.

 

Souji left her room as quietly as he could. He went to his room. He smiled as he shut the door behind him.

 

 

It was a rainy night. Souji stepped away from the window and watched the TV closely, but nothing appeared. The static disappeared with a click.

 

The sound was echoed by a muffled click downstairs and a quiet rattling and sliding.

 

Doujima was home.

 

And whispering.

 

“-san...Dou...san, ou have to--”

 

And not-so-whispering.

 

“Shut up, Adachi. And take your damn shoes off before you come in. I can my own walk. I'm sold cober.”

 

Adachi replied in a voice that was too low for Souji to hear.

 

“No way. Yer nah' leavin'.”

 

There was more muffled noise, supposedly as Adachi tried to argue with Doujima. Eventually, he seemed to give in in favor of getting Doujima to his bed and making sure he didn't sleep in the entrance.

 

There were a few more bumps and some curses and everything went quiet.

 

Souji waited, but the sound of Adachi leaving never came.

 

Souji cursed too and went down the stairs at a medium volume, to warn his uncle he was coming. He reached the first floor and went to the entrance. They fucking forgot to lock the door again. Maybe it was just the city boy in him, but Souji always locked the door, and he had made sure to drill the habit into Nanako too. What the fuck would Doujima do if someone stole his daughter right out of his own house? Yeah, a five-star detective, Doujima.

 

He thought about kicking Doujima's bedroom door on his way upstairs, and it was damn tempting, but it was open a bit so he moved slowly past it.

 

And then he heard it.

 

It was muffled, but there was no mistaking. It was that whine. Followed by a whimper.

 

That whine that sounded so much like it belonged to a Junes prince.

 

Souji stopped at the foot of the stairs, frozen.

 

There it was again. Higher this time. Souji's skin prickled.

 

He backtracked. He stood against the end of the kitchen counter, the way he had before when Adachi had come out shirtless.

 

The door _was_ opened, but only a bit. He couldn't see anything from where he was. For a brief second, he wrestled with the idea of whether he actually wanted to see something. But Doujima's room was dark. Even if he were close to the door, Souji probably wouldn't be able to see anything.

 

There was another whine, more like a sigh this time. They'd wake up Nanako if they kept at it like that.

 

He moved closer. He could hear the panting now. Short, sharp breaths and deep heavy ones.

 

There was an outline of movement. Adachi's skin was pale enough, and his shirt white enough to stand out in the dark, though his face and features weren't visible. That was definitely Adachi's body, and it was straddling the body under it, riding it quietly and fiercely.

 

Souji stepped back, surprised despite himself. Now that his eyes adjusted and he knew what he was seeing, he could see the outlines from far away.

 

Adachi's arched back and thin legs, his dress shirt unbuttoned halfway, his tie and pants missing. He had a partial stiffy and it made his shirt tent out above Doujima's stomach. Souji could only see the lower half of his uncle, and it was mostly covered by Adachi, fingers splayed out on the skin beneath him.

 

Adachi shuddered and his hands went behind him, disappearing from view as they probably gripped Doujima's thighs. He arched back further, his head and neck going back this time. Souji watched the thin neck, angles and curves, and found it hard to swallow.

 

Another button came undone and Adachi's dress shirt slipped from one of his shoulders, exposing it and half of his chest.

 

Souji imagined arms lifting an orange v-neck shirt over to reveal that chest.

 

Souji couldn't see, but large hands came up to touch the half of chest and Souji imagined that it was probably playing with the nipple he couldn't see in the darkness.

 

Adachi's body rocked even harder, his legs lifting him up and dropping him down. He reached forward and came back with Doujima's tie in his grip. He was completely hard now. He arched back, pulling on the tie. Adachi's breathing caught and he _moaned_.

 

Souji turned to leave as another large hand came into view.

 

Souji climbed the stairs, not bothering to be loud or quiet.

 

He went into his room and, taking his own advice, locked the door.

 

He collapsed on his futon, staring at the ceiling. He felt oddly empty. And then the warm feeling began. The knotting in his stomach. The pulsing.

A light was blinking at him. He reached over for his cell-phone and checked the messages.

 

1 new message. From Yosuke:

 

_hey partner. can we talk tomorrow after TV? Dang, hope I didn't wake you up. Gnight_

 

Souji was hard, so hard it hurt. He remembered Yosuke's slightly-cracked lips. How warm they had been, and how the cracked skin had dragged against his own lips and made him shiver. He imagined those lips on his, then leaving, then coming back as Yosuke rocked on top of him. His ribcage would stick out when he arched back, hands on Souji's thighs. His stomach would be flat, maybe even with some muscle to show. Souji would run his hands over the rib bones and muscle, covered by Yosuke's thin shirt. All the way down to the end of the shirt, where his cock was twitching underneath and staining the white material darker with pre-cum.

 

Yosuke would whine, the should coming through clenched teeth. Then he would moan, first “partner”, then “souji”. Souji would grip his hair as Yosuke--

 

Souji came in his own hand. He lay on his futon, sweating just a bit, breathing deeply He watched his own chest rise and fall and felt his hands tingle.

 

Not wanting to get up and dare a trip to the bathroom, Souji wiped his hands with tissue, cleaning every last bit.

 

He looked at his phone and decided to type a reply:

 

_Sure, let's talk tomorrow._

 

And then, as an afterthought:

 

_I wasn't asleep._


	8. Dangerous Animals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Souji, Yosuke, and Kanji are all dealing with different shit that might have the same root problem, and is it just them, or are the shadows in the bathhouse getting a little feistier? Also, there is sex.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EDIT: As per some input I've received, I quickly went back and edited the very last scene in this chapter. It was, indeed, written quite hastily. Thanks for the input! Enjoy.
> 
> I apologize for giant gaps between updates, but this fic is basically how I deal with stress, and not something I feel an urge to work on regularly. It's because of the great comments and kudos in my email that I decided to update this time. So, have a 15-page chapter to make up for it (it was gonna be longer, but I have other stuff to do and you've waited long enough).
> 
> It’s been years since I’ve played P4, so I’ve thrown trying to follow the game storyline closely out the window. Not that this chapter even remotely follows the story anyway ;) It’s okay if you hate Souji by the end of it.

Souji woke up feeling oddly better, but not unexpectedly so. After all, he'd learned a lot the day before, a lot about himself. One, he should never spar with a classmate when he actually wants to hit something. Two, Adachi was almost as much fun to tease as Yosuke and the fact that Adachi was an “adult” just made it better. Three: Souji'd most definitely jerked off to the thought of Yosuke riding him and might just do it again.

Souji headed downstairs and gave a 'good morning' to Nanako. He checked the refrigerator for juice but closed it quickly (he was pretty sure something had winked at him inside) and went over to sit by Nanako. He put Nanako's hair in pigtails and sent her off to her friend's house after telling her he'd be spending the day with his own friends but would be back in the evening. She asked if they could cook dinner together for Doujima. Doujima who probably wouldn’t be home for dinner again, probably not home at all. Souji agreed with a smile and held back his annoyance, in his own opinion, like a champ.

He was washing dishes in the kitchen when he received a text message from Yosuke. It took him a few seconds and a few blinks at the numerous sexual innuendos in the text before realizing it wasn't actually from Yosuke at all, but Teddie, who was evidently recovered from his existential crisis and had finished “training” on the other side. To say Souji was disappointed would be an understatement. Then again, sexual innuendo of that level coming from Yosuke probably would have made Souji flaccid for a week.

According to a following text from Yosuke, he had made the horrible dumb mistake of showing Teddie how cell phones work and now Teddie had downloaded and invited every other contact on Yosuke's phone to play Sweets Smash and was harassing Chie and Yukiko by sending them suggestive emoticons every two minutes. Souji texted back, writing to Teddie (Souji knew that'd make Teddie thrilled and exasperate Yosuke), that he'd meet up with them at the Junes food court soon and to let everyone else know too.

When Souji showed up, Chie, Yukiko, Yosuke, and Teddie were already there. seeing Chie was weird. A lot of feelings seemed to be fighting in his stomach. Annoyance, then relief, and something a lot like, but not verified to be, guilt. Before things could get annoying and awkward, Souji went right to Chie and apologized. He found it a bit unnerving that, while apologizing, he suddenly felt a huge hit of what could only be actual, real remorse. It came out of nowhere and bent him over into a bow in front of Chie. She laughed nervously and told Souji to stand up straight and it's no big deal, things happen when you train. Yukiko watched with wide, questioning eyes. Chie shot her a “tell you later” glance and Souji realized everything would be fine between him and Chie. He wanted to think that the relief he felt was because potential issues had been avoided, but he knew it was because she had forgiven him. Apparently his “friends” were worming their way into him more than he thought. It had taken way too long, but he liked Chie. Her boyish ways and overcompensating toughness. Her dedication and quick reflexes. And the Yukiko standing next to her, looking like a worried mom who’s wondering why her she got a call from her children’s home room teacher. He liked Yukiko too. Even if her laugh could make a saint kick babies.

Rise showed up, surprisingly, with an exasperated Kanji in tow. He looked properly harassed. Like someone had un-stitched his favorite dolls. Rise mentioned something about seeing that hot new detective on their way there but Kanji stopped her from talking with a hand over her mouth (and a blush). Souji marked it idly and put it away in his brain for investigation later.

With Rise and Teddie recovered, the Investigation Team didn't have many more leads and no super pressing matters, so going into the TV world was purely to further investigate and train themselves. Souji told everyone this and they headed into the TV world. Today they would investigate the bath house and the strip club (Souji had made sure to make a show of asking Rise if this was okay with her and she had agreed—though asking her out loud insured she could only give one response). Kanji, if possible, seemed even more flustered about going back into the bath house than before. Yosuke, Souji noticed with a slight sting of smugness, seemed to be acting similar to Kanji, all nervous laughs, but everyone agreed in the end because they all knew it was the best way and because Souji had said so.

Souji dove into the TV (20% Off Today Only!) first and everyone followed.

When they stood on the swirling body-chalk floor inside the TV world, Rise made a brave proclamation. She stated that she’d been thinking and she realized her persona would be perfect for scouting support and recon. It would give Teddie a chance to fight. Souji made a show of asking her if she was sure she wanted to, but he honestly couldn’t care either way. Rise would be safe as a supporter and Teddie, well, Teddie was a shadow and a talking bear-person-thing. They didn’t even know if Teddie could die. Rise’s persona didn’t seem particularly strong on offensive, but Teddie’s shadow had nearly wiped the floor with the whole team in one blow. It’d be a complete lie if he said he wasn’t looking forward to Teddie’s persona in action on their side.

Teddie jumped at the chance, literally, pouncing on Rise, and staying attached to her chest just a little longer than what qualified as decent around Inaba. Chie and Yukiko pried him away and they decided on attack order. Rise would be support and Souji would go in with Teddie, Kanji, and Yosuke. They would go back right away to switch Yukiko in if Teddie had problems. For once, Chie didn’t complain about having Yosuke picked over her, probably because Yukiko was staying back too. They all made their way to the bath house and Rise hung back to oversee. They prepared to go in, Souji feeling a glance from Yosuke burn his profile before he took a step forward to enter the bathhouse locker room first.

If the bath house was a blatantly suggestive metaphor before, it was a gay hammer to the head now. They’d defeated Kanji’s shadow and he’d “made peace” with it, so at least that wasn’t an issue. Souji recognized a mess though, and the bath house was a mess.It had somehow taken a turn from vaguely rape-y, cliched gay stereotypes of a high-schooler’s mind to something almost like mental instability. A mind wavering between one thing and another.

“Okay! Testing, testing! Can you hear me, Sempai,” Rise piped in and Souji was able to, loud and clear, just like Teddie before. Everyone else could too. Small favors, Souji thought. At least they’d be spared from horrible bear jokes and elementary-level sexual innuendo being broadcasted directly into their brains now.

After all, there was plenty of sexual innuendo outside their brains at that moment. Even the rest of the team must have noticed the confused aura in the bath house. Souji felt like a gay man walking into a straight bar. Or a straight man walking into a gay bar. Both of them awkward and confused, and neither of them want to be there, but neither really want to leave either.

Souji thought he saw Yosuke side-eye Teddie a few times, no doubt wondering why the wildly inappropriate Teddie was holding back so much. Maybe Teddie’s whole thing with his shadow and persona and had actually given him the ability to read atmosphere. Maybe he was too busy focusing on fighting. But most likely the jokes were too easy even for Teddie. After their third fight against a Mara shadow, it was a bit overkill.

Rise’s worried sounds of growing disgust each time a Mara attacked them and Kanji’s increasing fidgeting were the only sounds any of them made.

If sexuality was a puzzle, the bathhouse would be a rubik’s cube. Weird. Kanji was still able to summon his persona, so that meant that he still mostly accepted his shadow. So, what the hell?

Souji was about to ask Kanji if they needed to get together for a porn night and figure this shit out once and for all, when Rise finally piped up.

“Is this Kanji-kun’s version of my...my shadow world?” Right. Rise hadn’t been around for the painful second-hand embarrassment of Kanji’s towel-clad other self. But she’d suffered enough of her own embarrassment. A pity. Souji didn’t give a shit, but he’d seen some pole dancers in Tokyo and that was nothing to sneeze at. And gays, well...

All of it was a pity, really. Kanji obviously had no idea what gay dudes were actually like if the bath house was any indication. Souji was 98% sure Kanji might be the straightest one in their group, depending on whether Rise liked to kiss chicks after her concerts.

“Y-yeah,” Yosuke answered Rise’s innocent question.

‘It feels different now, don’t it,” Kanji finally broke in. The team seemed to let out a sigh of relief. Like being in a room that stinks and finally someone gets the courage to ask who ripped the proverbial fart.

“So they can change,” Rise asked, a bit of unease creeping into her high idol voice.

“A-bear-antly so,” Teddie relied thoughtfully. Everyone was quiet for a moment, definitely imagining how their shadow’s ‘areas’ could have changed.

Souji is interested and a little satisfied to see that Yosuke is probably the palest of all of them.

“It’s too bad we can’t show this world to the cops,” Rise piped up in an effort to break the thick atmosphere, “they brought in that new detective and everything! I heard he’s really young! I heard he might be coming to Inaba High too! I wonder if he’d believe us since he’s our age...”

Rise was cut short when a particularly large group of shadows appeared and the team had to work quickly to recover from a surprise attack. Kanji, Souji noticed, was blushing through the whole thing. There had been some particularly suggestive, agressive shadows in the group.

Yosuke, Souji noticed with a satisfied smile, didn’t seem much better than Kanji. He was looking flushed and sweating more than usual.

Rise apologized and said she’d pay more attention so they wouldn’t get caught off guard again. Souji assured her she was doing a good job for her first time and Yosuke asked if she could detect anything weird.

Rise replied she didn’t really know what to look for, and Teddie, after sniffing around a lot, stated he didn’t smell anything out of the ordinary. “Ordinary” being quite a low standard for a bathhouse full of attacking shadows and sexual steam.

They found a level of the bathhouse with very few shadows and they took the chance to search around a bit, finding a chest and some rose-filled pools.

“Maybe the place has gotten worse since Kanji’s shadow isn’t here anymore? Like, maybe he was keeping stuff in check,” Yosuke offered in the quiet.

“B-but, Sempai, isn’t my shadow what was making everything so crappy,” Kanji weakly argued.

The mood was falling so Souji spoke up. They’d just have to investigate more, wouldn’t they? They didn’t have anyone to save currently, so they could train and investigate all they needed to.

“Yeah,” Yosuke agreed, “if the places are changing, maybe that means something is changing with the killer too. Or he might have a harder time, like us. It could be a good thing.”

Yosuke glanced at Souji and Souji tried not to let his surprise show on his face. He gave Yosuke a small smile of approval. Yosuke’s face went red, possibly from the increase in steam where they were, but probably because of the insane amount of sexual tension that suddenly seemed to be fill the bathhouse when the next Daring Gigas they encountered were more occupied with wrestling each other than attacking the members of the investigation team. Yosuke and Kanji threw a few magic attacks at them while Souji guarded everyone and the shadows were taken care of easily enough.

“Well, that was….” the ever-talkative Yosuke seemed to feel a need to fill the quiet, steamy air, “kind of awkward, wasn’t it?”

Kanji laughed nervously. Souji smiled and urged them on.

“Those shadows were really bearing it all, with all that skin showing,” Teddie piped in helpfully.

They encountered a few shadows, all seeming to be stronger than before, and after two intolerant officers (one with leather and one with fuzzy red handcuffs), Kanji was looking a bit worn and Teddie was at his limit for his first time fighting. He’d been pretty useful, Souji noted. Even if he still managed to throw out horrible (“you better bearware! you’re abotu to meet a grizzly end!”) puns while fighting.

They headed back, Rise leading them carefully. When they returned, they met up with Rise, Yukiko, and Chie. Chie had been shifting from foot to foot--Souji usually took her in for investigation/fighting and had never left her out before. Yukiko also had rarely ever not gone in and she hurried over to look over all of them as they came out. She was relieved when Teddie explained he could heal team members too.

He stammered a bit and Souji had to cut in a few times, But Yosuke was able to report what they’d encountered.

“It was...different,” Yosuke said carefully. “Different than when we go back to Yukiko’s castle and stuff. Things might be changing in this world. We should be extra careful from now on,” Yosuke concluded.  
Souji had his own theory, but saying it out loud would probably spark protest and whining and tons of defensive remarks that he didn’t feel like dealing with. He decided to test the theory.

“My uncle said that he works closely with the new, young detective,” and he explained that, while he didn’t think it would help and it may only get them in trouble, he wanted to take a vote to see what the other team members thought. Throughout the whole speech, Souji watched Kanji carefully.

The unanimous vote was to not go to the police, but Rise and Yukiko both thought they should attempt to approach the detective on school grounds to see what kind of person he was.

After observing everyone during the interaction, Souji pretty much confirmed his suspicions and, after telling them all to rest well, sent them home their separate ways. Yosuke caught Souji’s eye and asked Teddy to go home before him. Teddy complained, saying he wanted to romantically walk Sensei home too, but Yosuke cut him off and told him he’d let Teddy eat his share of dessert if he left them alone. Teddy perked up quickly and headed off. Yosuke and Souji headed towards the Doujima family home.

They walked in silence mostly, Yosuke occasionally commenting on school or pointing out things they passed to fill the silence. Talking too fast, then dying down to silence again. Yosuke pointed out a black cat near the entrance of a small park and Souji immediately detoured.

Of all the fronts he put up and cover-up relationships he’d created for his creation of Inaba Souji, the one thing that was always, consistently real was his affection for cats. He’d grown to love Nanaka way more than he’d ever planned, and he’d even grown to like all the members of the Investigation Team, but his affinity for the feline hadn’t been faked, not even from the beginning. Souji found satisfaction in feeding all of the cats around their neighborhood and a smug pleasure in annoying his uncle who complained that the carpark smelled like cat piss.

Dogs were loyal and loving and would follow commands--and that had it’s own appeal for someone like Souji, but he couldn’t relate to dogs. Cats were independent, did as they pleased, were sleek, and intelligent. And kittens--kittens were fucking cute.

Souji bent down, offerent the backs of his fingers to the unfamiliar cat, making small sounds. The cat froze, it’s back slightly arched, ears slightly lowered, watching Souji.

“So, um,” Yosuke started. Souji stayed squatting, wiggling his fingers lightly at the cat. “about the other time. From before. I mean, it was a while ago now but--” the cat was easing up a bit, twitching its ears towards Souji and looking skeptical.

Souji continued to wiggle his fingers, “Sorry, what time are you talking about,” he asked, angellic to the bone.

“You-you know, the time you. You kiss...kissed me and stuff.”

Souji glanced at him, dropping his hand, and the cat started at the movement and ran away. Souji let a small frown show. “ ‘And stuff?’ You mean after the movie? It was a kiss. There was no ‘and stuff’.”

Yosuke shuffled his feet a bit, bringing a hand up behind his head, embarrassed and nervous. Familiar. “Ah, y-yeah, I guess you’re right, but that’s not what--”

Souji looked up at Yosuke, putting his elbows on his bent knees, resting his face in one hand, “Did you want there to be ‘and stuff’, Yosuke?”

Yosuke’s eyes widened a bit, face draining of color a bit, looking like he’d pulled an all-nighter playing a new Sweets Smash with Teddie. Then he turned his head away and all the coor seemed to rush back in, plus some.

“Why do you do that,” he asked, quietly, almost bitterly.

That definitely wasn’t what Souji had expected. He stood up slowly, so that he would be on level with Yosuke. Taller than Yosuke.

“What do you mean,” he asked, interest and curiosity managing to sneak into his voice. He didn’t quite know what would come next, and while the lack of control made him nervous, he’d be lying to himself if he said it didn’t give him a thrill. Yosuke gave him a sharp glance but seemed to decide Souji was just completely clueless. Souji stepped closer to Yosuke.

“That. This. It’s like...it’s like you’re messing with me. It’s like when you first moved here and you just let me stay in that garbage can the first time and stuff. But then you kinda changed and everything was cool, but now you’re messing with me again.”

Well, then. Souji obviously hadn’t given Yosuke enough credit. Because he was right. When Souji had first arrived, he’d been annoyed, pissed, even. But then he’d gotten his Good Boy plan, and then that plan had started to take over his actual mind like some kind of virus or STI. And Yosuke had noticed. So, well then. Time for a different tactic.

“....Yosuke,” Souji looked at the ground between them and took a step forward, so they were barely a step apart. He looked up slowly, doing his best to look like he was determined and embarrassed. It wasn’t too hard. Came naturally, even.

“What if I’m not messing with you?”

Yosuke squinted, then raised an eyebrow, “What are you saying, Partner?”  
“I’m saying….” Souji slowly raised a hand to put it on Yosuke’s shoulder. Safe, friend territory. Partner territory. “what if,” he slowly slid his hand up and felt Yosuke’s muscles tense and felt him swallow, as he moved his hand from Yosuke’s shoulder to neck, then to cheek. Souji breathed out, so the last portion was a whisper, “I’m not messing with you?”

Yosuke opened his mouth a few times to say something, then seemed to give up and swallow again. His eyes darted away and down to stare at something by Souji’s shoes, then slowly back up to Souji’s eyes.

“Look, Partner--”

And Souji moved in, hand sliding under Yosuke’s jaw, lifting an inch so Souji could press their lips together firmly. Yosuke was frozen still and Souji took the opportunity. He moved his lips over Yosuke’s, feeling them with his own. They were smoother than the first time; maybe Yosuke had been using lip balm--the idea gave Souji a jolt of satisfaction. They were warm and just slightly thicker than Souji’s. Kissing with closed lips was far too much work though. Souji moved his hand to brush Yosuke’s hair and opened his lips over Yosuke’s, sucking lightly on the top lip. Yosuke shivered slightly under him and when Souji moved a warm tongue over them, Yosuke, voluntarily or subconsciously, let Souji in. Souji slipped his tonue in and ran it over the top of Yosuke’s.

And then the flood gate opened. Souji had won.

Yosuke’s hands were in his hair and they were both pressing their mouths against each other so hard it was almost painful. Souji could feel his lips being pressed against his teeth by Yosuke’s. Souji gave as good as he got, and better. He let his tongue circle Yosuke’s mouth, running over the insides of Yosuke’s lips between his teeth, and he got a shudder from Yosuke when he ran his tongue over the top roof of Yosuke’s mouth. Yosuke seemed to gain confidence from that and did the same to Souji, mirroring Souji’s movements nervously.

Souji pulled away and nibbled at Yosuke’s bottom lip, pulling a gasp from Yosuke who recovered and went in for more, twisting his thin fingers in Souji’s hair slowly, carefully. Souji dropped his hands from Yosuke’s face to his hips, pulling them together. Their knees hit but Souji wasn’t about to let that stop him...

But then the hands were gone from Souji’s hair and Yosuke was pulling back, breathing hard, wiping at his mouth, looking hot and disheveled and…

completely terrified.

Fuck, Souji thought.

Yosuke’s hand at his lips raked fingers down to his chin and fell to his side only to come back up again to cover his face as if he had a headache.

“I….I think,” he stuttered slowly, “I...home…”

And Yosuke had turned and walked away from Souji, cutting through the park, neither in the direction of Souji’s house or his own.

 

Yosuke was conspicuously late to school the next day and therefore not on time to go there with Souji. He was also conspicuously busy at lunch and didn’t eat on the roof with the group. And, by that point, completely inconspicuously, busy after school. Had to work at Junes, he offered as a hasty excuse while booking it out of the classroom at a speed Souji had only ever seen him use in the TV world.

Since he didn’t trust himself not to kick over a wheelchair or push an old lady down a staircase and blow his Nice Young Man title, but also needed to calm the fuck down before going home, Souji skipped the caregiving work and opted for drama club. The club members commented afterwards that he made a very convincing, intense Hamlet, but that Laertes was supposed to actually get at least a single hit in during the duel or Hamlet wouldn’t be able to die at the end. Souji pretended like he was listening.

Souji called Nanako and let her know he wouldn’t be home for dinner. For the first time, he went to dinner by himself after club. He sat at the counter, eating the mabo tofu combo. The more he ate, the thought of increasingly daring and stupid ways to get Yosuke out of the closet and, to put it politely, into his futon where he could fuck him stupid.

Yosuke had been afraid.

Yosuke had been so, so, afraid. Like he was actually going to piss his pants right then and there.

Souji’s insides were twisting and knotting but also felt like they were on fire. He would admit it. He’d felt guilty. Really guilty, when he saw that face on Yosuke. But he’d also felt angry. It wasn’t his fault Yosuke was a closet case, that Yosuke couldn’t admit it had felt awesome to have their tongues down each others’ throats. After all that, for Yosuke to make that face like Souji had slapped him instead of kissed him? Well. Souji could fix that face. He could make it twist and turn and cry in pleasure.

If Yosuke wasn’t such a fucking wimp. Okay. If Yosuke didn’t want Souji to kiss him, alright. Fine. Souji would throw up his hands, admit defeat, and find a new conquest. But Yosuke wanted it and they both knew it.

So what. the. fuck.

Souji needed to vent. He needed to let it out somehow. Kick a puppy. Hack a tree down with his sword. Talk to someone if necessary, anything, or he’d blow the persona (no pun intended) that he’d worked so hard to create in the backwards town of Inaba.

He couldn’t tell the other team members or classmates. They’d freak out, or worse, try cheering him on and butt in to everything, bless their silly little heads. Plus, if Yosuke found out any of the others knew, it’d be the end, finished, for good.

Souji took out his phone, and while shoveling tofu into his mouth, he initiated a text conversation with an adult for the first time in his life.

>Hello, Adachi-san. This is Seta Souji.

He waited and ate more tofu. Not three minutes later, he got a response. Hard-working at the police station, weren’t they.

>Hello, Souji-kun. How are you? Did you need something? Is Nanako okay?

>Nanako is fine. Are you coming back with Uncle tonight? Was wondering if I could talk to you about something. If you are.

>Doujima-san is going to be working late tonight, but I can stop by to see you and Nanako.

When Souji got home, he ate dinner silently with Nanako while she watched TV. The new detective was on the news. He really was young. There were rumors he was going to start at Inaba High that week. Souji watched a minute or two of the interview, then changed the channel to Nanako’s favorite sentai show. When it was done and they’d cleaned the dishes together (Nakao side-eying him quietly the whole time after asking once if he was okay and getting a quick ‘yes, thanks’) Souji put her to bed and waited. Nanako had made enough dinner for four. Souji noted it and realized a lot of things didn’t get past Nanako, even if she didn’t understand them in their weird, kinda messed-up entirety. The girl was super sharp, could manage the house by herself, and did all her studies on her own (it had gotten to the point where asking Souji for help had become merely a cover to spend time with him and Souji didn’t mind). She’d be a force to reckon with in the future. If she went into the detective line of work like her dad, it’d be enough to make even a guy like Souji think twice about even drawing a dick on a bathroom wall. Souji felt something a bit like pride swell up in him.

Souji took off his uniform jacket and draped it over a dining table chair,, rolled up his shirtsleeves, and put an apron on. He turned on the electric kettle and took out some of the extra food Nanako had made, just in case.

He saw his phone light up on the counter before it vibrated.  
>Souji-kun, can you let me in? Door is locked.

Souji moved quietly and unlocked the front door, moving aside to let Adachi stumble in.

“Good evening,” Adachi said cheerfully, then hushed himself, “ah, is Nanako-chan asleep already?”

Souji nodded, “Yeah, but she’s a deep sleeper,” he turned to head back to the kitchen, “but I guess you knew that already,” he offered, as if tossing it over his shoulder to Adachi, who was only slightly caught off balance by the statement. He recovered quickly, following Souji.

“Sorry,” Souji said offhandedly, “today was a bit trying.”

“Ah...yeah, I figured, since you asked me to come here,” Adachi stood awkwardly outside the kitchen area as Souji took two mugs out of the cabinets. “So, um…”

“Would you like coffee or tea?”

“Ah, coffee, thanks.”

“Black?”

“Haha, no, I’m not as much of purest as Dojima. Lots of milk. Thanks.”

Souji nodded towards the couch and Adachi went over to sit on it.

Souji finished making their coffees (he deserved one after the shit today) and went over to the couch. He handed one mug to Adachi and moved the table closer to the couch. He set his mug on one of three coasters Nanako had made at school as part of a home-ec class.

He sat down next to Adachi, just a little closer than a person normally would, testing.

Adachi paused in his drink but then continued, not saying anything.

Souji stared at his mug, leaning forward, elbows on his knees. Adachi cleared his throat once, but otherwise didn’t push him. Adachi was probably wondering what the hell he had been called there for, and probably didn’t mind Souji’s stalling. Souji glanced at the coaster under his mug.  
“Adachi-san,” he said slowly, purposely. “why are people so dishonest?”

Adachi froze, then slowly brought his mug down and held it on his lap.

“What I should say is, ‘what brought this up?’ or ‘what makes you think this’ but the fact of the truth is people don’t need special circumstances or reasons to be liars.”

Souji sat up straight, turning his head to watch Adachi. Adachi reached forward slowly and picked up the coaster Souji had placed for him to use. He examined it closely with one hand.

“I shouldn’t be telling you this, but I don’t like kids. I hate them, actually. They’re whiny, annoying, loud, bratty, and adults bend over backwards to let them continue to be that way. This is going to sound really bad, so don’t get mad at me, but I didn’t even really care for Nanako-chan at first. I think she’s adorable and amazing and capable now, but she’s an exception. I see other kids on the street or in the store, touching things, drooling on things, wiping their snot, crying with skinned knees, and I hate it. Does that mean I give the kids dirty looks? That I go up to their parents and tell them they need to straighten their little brats up?”

Adachi put the coaster back on the table and his mug on it. He leaned back on the sofa too and spread his arms out a bit, turning to look Souji straight in the eye.

“No, I don’t. Because society expects me to like kids, and if I don’t--if I have the guts to say it like it really is, to say what so many people won’t say even if they think it--people are expected, no, programmed, to think I’m some sort of monster, even if they themselves agree. We’ve built a world where we can’t be honest. We live in a filthy pool of lies because that is how we trick everyone else into thinking we’re all the same. We lie, cheat, betray, and cover it all up to make ourselves and the people around us feel better.”

Adachi leaned in, just a bit close, for just a second, “It’s disgusting,” then was gone.

Souji felt prickles on the back of his neck. He could feel the ghost of the warm breath on his face.

Adachi was leaning back, hand at the back of his head and smiling awkwardly. “Um, I was supposed to be giving you advice, so do you think you could do me a favor and pretend you didn’t see that?

His cheeks were slightly red, his hand rubbing at the hair of his neck, thin body tense, but there was a lack of emotions in his eyes that was almost animated. A lack that manifested as a spark. A dangerous spark. Like when Yosuke had forgotten himself for 46 seconds and tried to eat Souji’s face. A spark that said Adachi may be a pushover, but only because he let himself be one. Adachi was sure of himself in a solid, cold way. His awkwardness came from not being sure of everything else.  
“Look,” Adachi added after Souji’s lack of response. “I probably shouldn’t even be here, but you called me over and you asked me that question so I’m gonna assume that friend of yours isn’t being completely honest with you.”

“Oh,” Souji smiled and leaned in conspiratorrially towards Adachi. “He’s plenty honest with me, even if he doesn’t want to be…” Souji let it sink in, “He’s just completely dishonest with himself.”

Adachi sighed and crossed his arms.

“One of those, huh?”

Souji hummed his reply.

“Look, no one’s gonna be honest all the time. People aren’t made that way. It makes us interesting and disgusting and filthy and twisted. It’s practically against human nature to be anything but liars. The world is a mess because we lie. It’s how people deal with everything they lack, deal with their failures and stop themselves from being miserable every second of their lives. Your friend doesn’t want to deal with it. So...” Adachi loosened his tie even more than it was sloppily done already, “Make him.”

Souji raised an eyebrow in interest.

“Don’t give him the chance to lie. Make him deal with it. Make him weigh your relationship and his comfort. If he does, great. If not, don’t bother with the trash.”

Adachi unbuttoned his shirt cuffs and smiled, picked up his coffee mug, and relaxed fully against the couch. Souji watched him, appraising the person before him with interest. Adachi wasn’t a strong person, he could see that, but he was a person who needed. Like Souji. And wouldn’t let things get in his way. Souji watched Adachi’s adam’s apple dip as he swallowed a drink of coffee. He watched his thin hands wrapped around the handle of the mug, thinking of younger ones.

“Does my uncle know you think these things,” Souji asked, no hint of judgement, just curiosity. He didn’t think his uncle would have sex with someone of Adachi’s character knowingly, in his own house. Then again, maybe Adachi was just a really good fuck.

Adachi’s eyes narrowed for just a moment, but widened again after seeing the blank look on Souji’s face.

“If we’re on the theme of honesty--I’ve been sleeping with Doujima-san since these murders first started. Relieving his stress. _Distracting him._ Honestly, he’d probably settle for anyone as long as he can pretend they have his wife’s face.”

“So you don’t think he cares about you?”

Adachi smiled and it was almost bitter. “Maybe, but who could be proper competition for a wife and mother that died in an accident?”

Ah, so that was it, Souji thought.

“I saw you riding him the other night,” Souji stated blandly. He sighed and leaned back, so his back was resting against one of Adachi’s outstretched arms. “Uncle looked like a dead fish.”

Adachi, to his credit, didn't seem too worried. “Souji-kun, are you a voyeur,” he asked, eyebrow raised, tone joking.

Souji shrugged. “I just can’t imagine it would be that fun, Adachi.”

Souji lets the name hang at the end of his sentence, alone. Adachi misses only one beat before replying.

“Doujima-san is tired a lot lately.”

“I’m not,” Souji supplied offhandedly.

“Look, I’m flattered but--”

“Don’t be. You’re going to be thinking about my uncle while I’m fucking you better than he ever has. And I’m going to be thinking about someone half your age.”

“Hey, I’m not that old. Still, there’s something to be said for age and experience.”

Souji moved to Adachi and took the cup from his hands. He set it on the table, perfectly in the middle of the coaster, embroidered with a fox.

“Show me.”

Everything was hot, impatient hands moving over chests and quick breaths. Souji was free of his shirt within seconds, Adachi free of his pants not a minute later. Souji pulled Adachi forward by his tie, opening Adachi’s mouth with his fingers and sliding them in. Adachi sucked on them dutifully before Souji pulled them out, watching the spit that trailed down Adachi’s mouth for only a second before knotting his hands in brown hair, messy hair several shades too dark and a few inches too short. He imagined dyed strands pulling between his fingers and pushed the head down towards his zipper.

Adachi, on his hands and knees, unzipped Souji’s pants with practiced hands and Souji slipped his fingers between Adachi’s lips one more time before pulling them out and allowing the thin lips to wrap around his cock. Souji reached around with cold, wet fingers to start rubbing Adachi’s rim. Adachi spread his legs wider to give Souji better access as his head rose and fell jerkily over Souji's boxers.

Souji managed to get two fingers in while Adachi whined around the head of his cock. A third one slipped in easily when Souji grabbed the red tie and yanked Adachi's head back.

Souji moved to position himself behind Adachi, taking Adachi’s tie with him as he went, pulling it so that Adachi's back arched like a cat's.

It was hard to enter, despite Adachi having had three fingers in him, since Souji hadn’t used lube. Once he'd pushed himself in though, Adachi tightened around him with each thrust, and the sounds Adachi made...a keening noise that went straight to Souji’s dick and short, muffled moans.

Souji fucked Adachi so hard, Adachi had to grip the arms of the couch so they wouldn’t fall off. When he couldn’t support their rough movements anymore, Adachi fell to his elbows and Souji pounded down, deep into him, pulling on the necktie with one hand and Adachi’s messy hair with the other. It was easy to imagine a different body, barely much thinner, with lean muscle from swirling flying kicks. Rough hands holding kunai, burying into couch cushions. Headphones around a neck in place of a tie.

Adachi let out a high-pitched whine and tightened around Souji, and Souji, seeing white, came inside Adachi with a violent shudder.

They didn't talk. After Adachi cleaned up quickly in the bathroom, he left and Souji locked the door behind him. Let his uncle figure out how to unlock it when he comes home completed smashed. Let him wake Nanako up. Let her see what her dad is like at 2am, drunk, and failing his job and her.

Souji shook his head once. No, just because her father was drowning his occupational failures in alcohol didn’t mean she needed to see it. Nanako didn't need to know any of it. He would make sure she didn't. Feeling in higher spirits, Souji made sure to leave the lights in the kitchen and bathroom on so Doujima wouldn’t stumble into doorways and wake the whole house. He did, however, lock the front door. 

Souji fell asleep easily that night and slept long and hard. He didn’t wake up when it began raining, and didn’t wake up when he received three text messages that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EDIT: As per some input I've received, I quickly went back and edited the very last scene in this chapter. It was, indeed, written quite hastily. Thanks for the input! Enjoy.
> 
> Souji has gotten quite a bit darker than I had planned for him to be, but that's fun too. I have no idea where this fic will go next, but if you want to shoot me questions, etc, you can check me out on Tumblr: http://schumie.tumblr.com/ (nsfw)
> 
> Cheers.


	9. The Jeweller's Hands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kubo cracks, Souji smacks, Yosuke hacks, and they're all sad sacks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fashionably late with a 23-page, complete and utter train wreck.
> 
> Love you all. See you in hell.

The lovingly-nicknamed King Moron was dead. Kicked the bucket. Killed.

Found like the others, only not like the others. The circumstances were just different enough that it made Souji’s mind itch. There was also the fact that he felt just a smidge of righteous joy when he found out who the victim was.

Souji was sure they all did. Even if they wouldn’t admit it. Yukiko was looking uncomfortable in a way that said she didn’t want to show her relief. Chie was doing a slightly less better job of hiding it. Kanji and Rise had been saved from Morooka’s tyranny by virtue of being a year younger, but Yosuke was making very little effort to hide the fact that he cared more about there being another murder and not so much about that murder being Morooka’s.

Naoto was a welcome distraction when he showed up, if not a wake-up call. After basically tailing them for three days (no one else seemed to notice so Souji left it alone), Naoto finally confronted the Team and introduced himself. Yukiko was friendly, Chie was wary (good girl, Souji thought), Teddie thankfully was seemed to be in (quiet) awe, Rise was welcoming, and Yosuke stood to the side, disapproving of Kanji’s man-blush (mush, he called it to everyone’s annoyance.)

Naoto was impressive. Sharp. Put-together.

He said the police had a suspect for the string of murders, at which the whole Team seemed to tense up. Souji noticed that Naoto noticed. Yosuke noticed Souji was staring intently at Naoto. The others didn’t seem to notice anything at all.

After listening to Naoto’s impressive speech and warnings, they saw him off, everyone admiring him, Kanji far more than the rest. Yosuke, unfortunately, in all his heterosexual glory, picked up on that fact and by the time Kanji was done hiding behind Souji and everyone was watching Naoto walk away, Souji knew a shit fit was coming.

“What the hell is so interesting about that guy,” Yosuke motioned between Kanji and Souji. “What’s got you two so entranced.”

“I ain’t entranced!...whatever that means,” Kanji growled at Yosuke.

“Dude, you’re blushing like a virgin on prom night. Stop staring after him. You don’t have to be that obvious. And don’t stand so close to me. You’re creeping me out.”

Kanji didn’t seem to know what to say to that. It was like the camping trip all over again and the three guys knew how comfortable that had been. Thankfully Chie took care of it with a swift side kick to Yosuke’s kidney. They all watched as he buckled over, a shrill cough coming out. Souji may or may not have taken a bit of comfort and satisfaction from the sight. At least he wasn’t the only one getting tired of Yosuke’s shit.

“Yosuke, you can be such an idiot sometimes!” Chie nearly snarled at him. Even Yukiko was looking on with her arms crossed, not condoning Chie’s violence, but certainly not stopping it.

“Yosuke-kun, Kanji just worked very hard to defeat his shadow that was based on his uneasiness with...related...topics. I think the very least you can do is respect that and apologize to him,” Yukiko’s voice was curt, sharp, and cut quickly.

“Yeah, Yosuke, you’re being kind of a jerk,” Rise chimed in, pigtails swinging as she shook her head.

Teddy had looked worriedly between all of them, twisting his head back and forth so fast he’d probably get whiplash if he’d kept at it. Thankfully he was being silent for once, the tension between everyone so thick that it even cut through his empty bear brain. Thankfully a defense mechanism had probably told him it wasn’t a good idea to dish out bear puns about hiber-gay-tion at that moment.

With Chie, Yukiko, and Rise all coming down on him, Yosuke normally would have glanced at Souji for backup at a time like this. A “help me out here, partner,” glance. This time, he didn’t.

Maybe he was afraid his dick would pop a boner if he accidentally locked pupils with Souji, and that, well, that would just discredit all his little bro-testations, wouldn't it?

Souji merely looked on, eyebrows slightly raised as Yosuke’s face got hotter. The girls were taking good care of it. He decided his partnerly obligation had been stretched far enough lately and was more than willing to leave Yosuke to the girls.

Kanji, however, looked embarrassed and attempted to get between them, assuring them it was alright and he didn’t care.

“No, Kanji-kun, he needs to apologize now,” Chie said, hands on hips.

“I agree,” Yukiko said.

“Okay, okay. Look, Yosuke-sempai,” Kanji cut in, rubbing the back of his neck. Everyone quieted down to listen to him. He was probably more embarrassed to be interrupting his upperclassmen than to be saying what he was saying. “We’ve seen a lot of each others’...bad parts. Our darkest parts. Senpai saw yours, you two saw Chie-senpai's and Yukiko-senpai’s and everyone saw Teddie’s...well, whatever that was...and Rise’s…” Kanji seemed to nod apologetically at Rise who just smiled softly, “and I really don’t think I’m gay, but I don’t know, and if--if I am, if that turns out to be what I am, I kinda wanna think that--that even if you’re not totally _cool_ with it, you’d still be cool with _me_ , you know? ‘Cuz I like hangin’ around you guys an’ all that. But it’s gonna be real hard to do that if you’re always scared o’ me and always takin’ a piss on me, you know?”

By the time he was finished, Kanji was breathing a bit hard and impossibly redder than even when Naoto had been around. He was lit up like Tokyo Tower.

Chie and Yukiko were about to chime in with support for Kanji but where cut short.

“Sorry.”

Chie and Yukiko came to an indignant halt and Kanji cautiously looked at Yosuke.

Yosuke stood up from where he’d been doubled over, straightening his back and looking towards Kanji. He didn’t look Kanji straight in the eyes, only glanced at him, but he was sheepish enough that Kanji didn’t seem to mind.

“I’m sorry. I mean, Naoto’s...he seems really smart. And he is pretty...cute...for a guy. I mean, if you’re into that, good for you. That’s your thing. It’s not my thing, but if that’s you, Chie’s right, I gotta respect that. It just...takes a bit getting used to. I'm sorry I was such an ass. Give me a bit and I’ll be cool.”

He’ll be cool? Souji wanted to kiss Yosuke right there, in front of them all, just to show them what Yosuke’s problem really was. He’d shove his tongue down Yosuke's throat, and when Yosuke started moaning and groaning, he’d pull back and punch him square in the jaw for being the biggest asshat in Inaba. Souji clenched his fists instead and listened with every last ounce of patience he had. After all, Yosuke wouldn’t be nearly as attractive without his front teeth. Blowjobs might be better though.

Instead, Souji mustered all the effort of his good-boy persona and pulled the leader move. He went up to Kanji and put a hand on his shoulder. Kanji looked at him, probably about to cry yankee tears into his skull shirt. Souji opted for no speaking, just a nod and a squeeze on the shoulder, and Kanji broke out into a wattery grin like a blonde kitten with a receading hairline. It was almost endearing. Souji stepped back. Everyone was church-mom smiling at Kanji, everyone except Yosuke.

Yosuke stepped towards Kanji and held out a hand warily.

“I was a jerk. Can you forgive me this time?”

Kanji only paused for a split second before slowly grasping Yosuke’s hand. “Sure. No hard feelings.”

In Souji’s opinion, this shit was all hard feelings, but he figured he should save the commentary for later. Kanji was either a saint or a complete idiot. Given his penchant for crocheting bunnies and kittens, probably the former. Souji had to grind his teeth in order not to gape at the scene in front of him. The sheer amount of hypocrisy happening was gag-worthy. The sensation of wanting to simultaneously blow a guy and beat him to a pulp was a new one for Souji. He’d have to think about it.

“So we all know what Kanji thinks about Naoto,” Rise giggled, “but what about the rest of us? Can we trust him,,” Rise interrupted with a surprisingly mature distraction.

Everyone turned to look at Souji as if they weren't capable of making decisions on their own. Right. Leader. Team Dad.

Souji new Naoto was hiding something, but Naoto had made his suspicions clear to all of them and had even told them a bit about the direction of the investigation. Souji nodded and told the others he thought Naoto could be trusted.

They all folded their arms and nodded, as if they’d thought the same thing the whole time and hadn’t been waiting to see what his call would be.

“It really is weird, though, King Moron’s death,” Yosuke stated. He was, after all, pretty sharp. He listed off the reasons that Souji had ticked off mentally while Naoto was talking. “It just doesn’t sit right, don’t you think, Partner,” Yosuke turned to look at him properly for the first time that day. There was awkward intelligence in his eyes. A kid shit with books but good with hunches.

Souji agreed and said they should all be wary. They couldn’t help anyone if they were all taken in as suspects, so they should stay out of the TV world for a while.

“Do you think Naoto is suspicious of us,” Yosuke asked him.

Souji looked at all of their anxious faces. “I do. But I also think he told us about the investigation for a reason. Maybe even he doesn’t know the reason yet.” Souji told them to keep eyes and ears peeled.

Yosuke stood next to him, arms folded, nodding. Souji supposed latent sexual tension and denial shouldn’t get in the way of the relationship between Team Leader and the person who (he reluctantly admitted) was his right hand, and for all purposes, second in command.

 

* * *

 

Souji went home focused on something other than his own frustration for the first time in several days and was met head-on with it again when it’s loose red tie swung in his face while he was taking his shoes off in the entryway.

“Souji-kun,” smiled a nervous voice he couldn’t see.

Souji straightened up.

“Adachi-san,” he nodded. He hadn’t noticed the extra shoes in the entrance. He was slipping. Or distracted. He locked the front door.

“Nanako-chan decided to make dinner herself tonight. Doujima-san rushed home to eat before but had to return to work. He asked me to stay behind in case you were home late.”

Souji cracked his jaw and nodded, passing Adachi, who siddled out of his way. Adachi seemed nervous. Was he afraid Souji would spill everything to his Doujima? Tell his uncle he’d screwed his underling on their couch? Tell him it was raw, fast, and completely what Adachi wanted? Tell him how Adachi had whined and panted under him. How, when he choked Adachi with that red tie, Adachi almost came? The Adachi's thighs twitched when he did?

Souji grinned as he came into the kitchen and was able to melt it into a simmering smile when he saw Nanako, on her small kitchen stool, stirring a pot on the stove.

“Big Brother! Dad was home but you missed him. He ate before everyone and he ate really fast! He said it was delicious! I was waiting for you to come home to eat,” she beamed at him.

Souji was suddenly overcome with the urge to throw her in a sack, scoop her over his shoulder, leave, and never come back. They could stay at Yukiko’s family’s inn. Or crash with Yosuke and Teddie.

The thought of sleeping next to Yosuke in a room with Nanako and Teddie sobered him immediately.

He smiled and helped her dish up three bowls of udon, hoping she hadn’t used the orange-ish onion that had been in the refrigerator. He didn’t want Adachi around, but he couldn’t really chase the loser detective out either. Not without Nanako wondering what was up. Plus, he might be useful.

“So, Adachi-san,” Souji hummed, “how has work been? Has Uncle been busy?”

“Busier than ever,” Adachi said readily. Always eager to wag that warm, wet tongue. “We had someone show up at the station today, claiming he was the…” Adachi seemed to realize there were little ears listening and tried to awkwardly adjust his gossip. “...the culprit we’ve been looking for, but he was just some pitiful kid who wanted attention, so I was able to take care of it. Poor Doujima-san still had to do all of the paperwork though.”

Nanako was listening attentively but had a look on her face that practically said she had no idea what the adults were saying even though she really, really wanted to.

“He means Uncle will still be busy for a while,” Souji translated for her, squeezing a swollen noodle between his chopsticks until it broke.

“Oh…” Nanako looked down into her udon, as if she might find her lost childhood or actual parental guidance in it.

“He’s so busy. He’s really important, isn’t he, Adachi-san,” she looked up from her udon which must have held some piece of encouragement for her, probably in the fish cake.

Adachi put a hand behind his head and chuckled. “Yeah, that’s definitely true, Nanako-chan. Are you proud of him?”

“Yup!” Nanako replied immediately.

For the second time that day, Souji wanted to strangle a man.

Adachi stayed. He stayed through the cleanup and through Souji putting Nanako to bed. Souji smiled bitterly to himself when he heard the TV on as he was tucking Nanako into bed. He read to her until she was asleep and then went to the living room. Adachi was spread out on the couch, tie loosened, hair messy, remote in one hand.

Like he belonged there. Just making himself all nice and comfortable in someone else’s home. Coming in, thinking he could watch over Nanako just because Doujima was a borderline neglectful parent. Thinking, because Doujima wasn't there, he could pretend like he had a place in that house. Souji wanted to kick him square in the chest. Feel the reluctant give of ribs under his feet.

He was just like Adachi.

Only he wasn’t. Souji, at least, had the pretense of family. Loose and vague as it was, Souji was family to Nanako and Doujima alike, but what was Adachi?

A play thing. His uncle’s toy. Souji wondered if Doujima went after the younger, messier ones because they looked up to him. Because he thought he was at least better than them, even if he couldn’t catch his wife’s killer. The thought somehow made Souji a bit satisfied.

Adachi noticed Souji watching him and seemed to jump. He had probably been seconds away from putting his feet on the table. At least he had the sense to look awkward.

“Ah, is Nanako-chan sleeping?”

“Yeah.”

“Do you mind if I rest here just a little longer? I should probably go back to work and help Doujima-san too...he’s there alone tonight.”

Souji sat on the couch, putting a reasonable amount of space between them.

“Before you mentioned something about a new detective? Isn’t he helping Doujima?” Souji wanted inside info on Naoto.

The quick flash of venom in Adachi’s face made Souji forget himself for just a second. His jaw may have even dropped, just a little.

“Haha, well....do you think I could make a cup of coffee,” Adachi asked, recovering in a flash and rubbing the back of his head with a silly smile attached.

“I’ll do it,” Souji got up. “Tell me about the detective. I want to know why Doujima still has to work so much if there are more people on the job.”

Adachi eyed him with an odd look on his face and Souji wondered if he’d pressed his luck too far. Even gossips had their limits before they got suspicious.

“Souji-kun, you...you don’t call Doujima-san ‘Uncle’ when Nanako’s not around.”

Souji nearly dropped Adachi’s mug. Adachi was coming around often enough that Nanako had picked out a mug for him. Souji would probably have let it drop if he hadn’t been so surprised by Adachi’s words and caught it subconsciously.

“It’s just,” Souji said carefully, nonchalantly, “Nanako always calls him Dad and the only other person who speaks about him is you, and you call him Doujima-san, so I guess I caught the habit. I didn’t really know him much before moving here, after all. I didn’t know him at all, growing up.”

“I guess that’s true,” Adachi’s smile was crooked. “I’m glad it’s not because you don’t like him.”

Souji set Adachi’s mug in front of him, filled with instant coffee. Water for himself. He wished for something a bit harder, more towards eighty proof would be nice.

“I’m grateful to my...uncle. He took me in when my parents didn’t want anything to do with me. Said he’d reform me. And so far, I admit I’ve been pretty good here. And, of course, I can appreciate how hard he works. But my uncle is...on the inside...a very, very...” Souji reached out slowly and pulled the loose collar of Adachi’s rumpled shirt down just a bit, confirming what he’d thought he’d seen before, “ _a selfish person_.”

“That,” Adachi whispered lowly with a smile that Souji couldn’t read, “he most certainly is.”

The spot on Adachi’s neck was pink around the edges but bruising vaguely. The vague outline of a mouth. It wasn’t old. Souji removed his hand and leaned into the couch, remaining close. Adachi watched him silently for a minute, as if he was gauging Souji’s sincerity. Then he tilted his head, just a bit, smiled crookedly, and reached towards Souji.

“Really, truly selfish.” Adachi hooked a finger in the V of Souji’s shirt, pulling lightly down on it, mimicking Souji’s earlier actions. “But, you know, _there isn’t a single person on this rotten planet who isn’t._ ”

That time, Souji let Adachi ride him. He kept his hands on the thin, sharp hipbones that outlined a stomach that was mostly flat save for a small layer of fat from too much instant ramen. Adachi’s shoulders were narrow and sharp too. His hands seemed just a little too small, but his fingers and hands were like those Souji had imagined too many times. Adachi's arms moved behind him to grip the tops of Souji's thighs. Adachi didn’t arch back or throw his head back in ecstasy. He rode Souji hard and fast. Like he was punishing Souji, or himself.

Adachi stared down at Souji, oddly grinning with his too-big eyes. Souji reached up and clamped a hand over Adachi’s eyes, focusing on his messy brown hair and shallow chest instead. When Souji bucked up into him, Adachi’s nails cut small C’s into Souji’s flesh. They moved like that, a fighting, countering rhythm filled only with hot grunts and wet sounds. Adachi's rhythm never quite matched with Souji's. It was like they were both fighting each other in order to come.

Right before Souji was about to come, Adachi fell forward and, sharp hands holding Souji’s arms on either side, bit Souji on the chest, raw and hard where he’d pulled down the V of Souji's shirt before. Souji came with the pain, driving himself into Adachi with so much force that Adachi’s mouth was knocked tight around Souji’s skin. Adachi came, wiping the small smear of blood from his mouth with a disgusted look.

After they detached, sweat and cum sticky between them, blood slowly welled up in a small red circle that grew on Souji's chest, the red trickling down his abdomen as he headed to the bathroom.

“You said Doujima would probably be working alone tonight. The detective, the young one, is he at the station now,” Souji asked, coming out of the bathroom, throwing a damp towel at Adachi, giving him a look he hoped said ‘clean yourself and leave’. The last thing he wanted to do was talk to Adachi after they fucked, but he needed information.

Adachi sat, fixing his tie on the couch. “...maybe.”

Ah. So that was it.

“But Doujima doesn’t like him, right? Thinks he's green?” Souji pushed.

“The kid’s sharp, but he’s full of himself. Walked in like he owned the place. He’s nosey and has no experience.”

Souji wondered if “nosey, inexperienced” detectives were often put onto multiple-homicide, possibly serial killer cases, because, hey, who wouldn’t want a high-schooler tracking down a serial killer?

“Just another rotten cop," Adachi continued, "He’s no better than the rest. Just starting at a younger age. He comes in with these crazy theories and no hard evidence to back them up. Then we get a confession from another snotty brat who just wants attention, doesn’t care how it gives us more paperwork, more footwork, a goddamn inconvenience. I don’t know which kid was worse today.”

Adachi finished getting dressed and ran a hand through his messy hair, making it worse.

“I’ll tell you something, Souji-kun. There are all sorts of people in this world, but they’re all variations on the same thing. No one really cares about anyone else once they’re old enough to realize what life is really like. That’s why you need to cherish Nanako-chan now, while you still can, before she becomes twisted like the rest of us. That’s why you come home. That’s why you put up with Doujima-san (who acts like he's your dad even when he has no right). That’s why you do things for other people now. You do it so that they’re in your debt later. Because it’s not going to get better from now on. People just get worse. You can't expect anything from them for free. Especially women. They’ll tear you apart. Buuuuut...I think you probably know that. You’re a smart kid.”

Souji was once again shocked by how Adachi was able to say the things Souji had only ever kept inside. Adachi put his coffee mug on the kitchen counter and side-eyed Souji, as if he knew what Souji was thinking.

“You’re surrounded by all those friends. But you’re not like them, are you, Souji-kun? You distance yourself. You watch them. I see you. You do as little as you can to get them all in your good graces. That’s smart, but unnecessary, if you ask me. Debt is the key.

“Making connections only gives you a fake sense of responsibility. Responsibility equals accountability in other people’s eyes. If they think you’re their friend, they expect things from you, by virtue of friendship alone, and those things become your responsibility and you are accountable for them in your friends’ eyes. Don’t bury yourself in other peoples’ wants. Everyone is selfish and they’ll keep asking you for more and more...until you break.”

Souji followed Adachi silently to the front door and leaned against the wall as Adachi slipped on his shoes. He wished the detective’s shoes weren’t lace-up. He got a good look at the thin waist and narrow shoulders once more while Adachi bent over to tie them.

“That friend of yours. The Junes boy? The one causing you all that grief? Well to each their own, but he seems especially...needy. If friends really exist, he should start to give you something instead of all that take, take, take and grief.”

“Why do you still put up with Doujima then?”

Adachi cracked his neck and Souji’s skin prickled. He stood up and grinned at Souji.

“Like I said, we’re _all_ selfish.”

Adachi opened the door to rain that Souji couldn’t remember hearing earlier. Before Souji could offer him an umbrella, Adachi was jogging away, suit jacket held up over his head, a miserable grey figure in the rain.

Souji decided that Adachi definitely knew that Souji would give him no sympathy. That was why Adachi didn’t sugarcoat his words with Souji and didn’t hide his feelings for Doujima. That was why Adachi could fuck his partner's nephew. That was why Souji could pretend he was fucking Yosuke when Adachi was under him. Not caring again after so long was refreshing. He was sure the grey figure down the street felt the same way.

No doubt Adachi would show up to the police station, soaked through after coming back from watching over Nanako, looking pitiable with that goofy grin. Doujima would chew him out but also toss him a towel and maybe give him his half-finished cup of coffee. He might even ruffle Adachi’s wet hair. Adachi, for all his apathetic whining and laziness, was one sly unclefucker.

Souji closed and locked the door.

 

* * *

 

 

It was 11:45pm when he got up to his room, and it was raining.

He was unsurprised to see a text on his phone from Yosuke.

_I just wanted to say i feel like an ass about today. sorry_

_Tell Kanji._ Souji texted back.

 _youre right i’ll buy him some steak kebabs from junes and apologize again_ was the response.

 _He’s not Chie_. Souji replied. It got him a laughing emoticon from Yosuke.

_pfft youre right maybe a stuffed animal. you know what he likes?_

Souji’s hands felt sticky. He’d washed them earlier. He wanted to wash them again.

_Try rabbits._

_yeah he does look like a rabbit kinda guy. thanks partner_

Souji looked at his phone. 11:54. Raining. He washed his hands quickly in the bathroom again, came back to his room, and stood in front of the TV. On a hunch, he turned it on. No one was missing, and the weather had been actually pretty damn good lately. He almost turned it off.

Then the static came. The strange, wavy static that wasn’t caused by rain, and then a teenager was staring at him with challenging, empty eyes. The boy looked familiar, but Souji couldn’t place him.

He was taunting Souji.

_Come get me if you can. You think you’re better than me? Go ahead, try to catch me. I’ll kill more, just like I killed Saki. And Mayumi, and Mooroka. Come catch me if you’re not afraid._

Souji’s phone lit up. Immediately he received texts from Chie, Kanji, Rise, and Yosuke. Souji was about to open them when apparently Yosuke hadn’t had the patience to wait and called instead.

Souji picked up the phone, feeling strangely calm.

“Partner, did you see that? On TV? There wasn’t a reason to, but I felt like I should watch just in case, and...”

Souji said he’d seen.

“Do you really think he killed all of them? He’s just a teenager.”

And the Team were teenagers who fought dark versions of themselves in a world that could only be reached through TVs, when they’re not going to math classes or working part-time jobs, Souji thought. Anything was possible. But he was doubtful about the kid in the TV. Yosuke was asking, so that meant he had his doubts too.

“I don’t think so. Not all of them. But Morooka wasn’t killed like the others.”

“So you think he kicked King Mor--Morooka’s--bucket?”

Souji paused a minute. Yeah, he did. But there was something off about all of it.

“Something just doesn’t seem right,” Yosuke answered in Souji’s silence.

“But...we have to go in there, don’t we? We won’t know until we find him, right?”

“Yeah.”

“I’ll call everyone. Tell them to meet at Junes tomorrow. Thank god it’s a weekend. I’ll ask Teddie to cover my shift and Rise can be our guide. Is that cool?”

Souji agreed. Yosuke always impressed him in little ways he didn’t expect. He knew Yosuke was sharp--had intuition--and knew he could be a fast thinker, so why was he always surprised when Yosuke suddenly became capable?

Souji wanted to fight Yosuke. Really fight him. To see who would win. If it were decided by sheer power, it would be Souji hands-down. But Yosuke was probably a faster reactor. Yosuke had smart physicality. He had saved Souji all those times, after all, pushing him out of the way of oncoming attacks.

“Partner? I guess we should talk about it more when everyone’s together, so we’re all on the same page. And...Partner?”

“Yeah?”

“You...sound tired. I know stuff has been...weird...lately, but you’ve been looking kinda worn-down. You okay?”

At that moment, hearing Yosuke ask that, Souji was anything but okay. A bad feeling in his gut was starting to form and he wasn't sure of the cause. He didn't like it.

“Yeah, I’m good,” was all Souji could allow himself to say.

“...Okay, well. We should get some rest. Big day. If we’re lucky...this might all end tomorrow. We might solve this after all, haha. See you tomorrow, Partner.”

Souji hung up the phone.

That night, he dreamed about wrestling with Yosuke again, but when he took off the luchador mask, Yosuke’s eyes were too big for his head and his smile was crooked. Shadows started to creep out and around them, reaching for Souji’s arms and neck. They were in the Doujima family home and shadows were everywhere.

 

* * *

 

 

“We have to go in,” Chie announced the moment everyone had been gathered. Yukiko nodded solemnly next to her. Everyone else had anxious looks of determination too. Souji, frankly, was looking forward to possibly beating the shit out of a serial killer. There was too much that wasn’t adding up though, and it made him apprehensive. Almost excited.

“If this kid really is the one who killed them all, we have no idea what he could have up his sleeve. We gotta be super careful,” Yosuke said thoughtfully.

“I’m just really glad we’ll have a chance to get to him now that he’s in the TV world. That creep used to follow Yukiko around!" Chie huffed, arms crossed, "And if he really is behind all this, that means he put her in the TV, even though he liked her! How dangerous is this guy?!”

Yukiko frowned. Souji realized where he’d seen the kid in the TV before. It was when he’d first gotten to Inaba. The kid had been waiting outside their school, for Yukiko.

If it was true, the kid had also put Kanji and Rise in the TV, and that would mean the kid had also been stalking Kanji, Souji didn’t bother pointing out.

“I’m gonna crush the guy to a pulp,” Kanji stated, as if on cue, punching into his own hand.

“Okay, okay. So, like, we do need to be extra careful, but we’re not sure this kid did it. He might, just, like, be like Rise or Kanji or you girls. He might have gotten thrown in too. Or he might just want attention,” Yosuke shrugged.

Another snotty brat who wanted attention, Adachi’s voice echoed in Souji’s head. How many teenagers did crazy stuff on a daily basis because their classmates wouldn’t look at them? Or because their crushes rejected them? Or because their parents shipped them off to stay with unknown relatives in the middle of nowhere?

Chie didn’t look convinced, Yukiko looked thoughtful, and Kanji looked like he was just as eager to beat the shit out of something as Souji was. Teddie, for once, was also looking thoughtful next to Yukiko.

“Teddie, do you know anything about this guy? Have you seen him before?”

Teddie shook his head and said nothing felt or seemed familiar about the kid. They had nothing to go on. They all ate a quick meal in the food court, just to make sure they had plenty of energy. After that, they headed to the electronics section, and while everyone knew Souji would be going in as Leader and Yukiko would be going in for her healing prowess, the rest did jan-ken to see who would stay outside as their connection to the real world. Teddy lost with a lot of whining and wished them off well. Rise would guide, Souji, Yosuke, and Yukiko would explore, and Chie and Kanji would stay in the TV world, at the entrance, as backup.

They dove in and Souji, with his two crew members, entered the world of Mitsuo Kubo.

Souji immediately wondered if they’d accidentally gone into an old-school Nintendo game instead of a TV. Everything was in blocks. It was going to be interesting.

They hacked their way through lower level shadows. Thankfully, getting to Kubo wasn’t difficult compared to all the other rescue missions they’d run. And it _was_ a rescue mission.

Kubo, just like all of them, had a shadow version of himself. Of all the other shadows Souji had seen, Kubo’s was particularly...well, 'fucking creepy' were probably the most suitable choice of words. On the outside was a pixel suit of armor and inside, well, inside was a writhing, squealing baby that looked like it had literally been born out of a nightmare. What.the.actual.fuck.

“What _the hell_ is that?!” Souji heard Yosuke beside him quickly after a split second of rejoicing at breaking the armor only to see the squirming flesh inside.

Souji ignored it, attacking, and the others followed suit, the armor slowly rebuilding around the baby.

Yukiko was on support duty and Yosuke was firing random dekaja’s at Kubo’s shadow every time it would put up a red or white wall, attacking when there was nothing to take down, but Souji was on main attack work, switching constantly between personas, trying to find a weakness. It was tiring. After fighting for probably half an hour, Souji began to feel the attacks his personas landed on Kubo’s armor like they were chipping away at himself instead. His energy was draining. Kubo’s shadow wasn’t weak to anything. They had to keep hacking at it.

Finally there was an opening. Yosuke spotted it first and called for an all-out attack and he charged in with Yukiko, Souji following, sword ready. They got spat right back out of the chaotic attack cloud almost instantly. Souji had only landed one hit before he was thrown back. Yukiko was on her feet immediately, Yosuke soon after, but Souji was just a moment too slow, reaching for his sword that had landed a few feet from him.

Yosuke yelled something unintelligible and then Souji was being bowled over while he was in the middle of standing up, sending them both flying. Souji knocked his head hard on the ground and one of Yosuke’s elbows went into his ribs, knocking air out of him. Yosuke himself landed hard on his side, thankfully not on his kunai.

“Souji-kun, Yosuke-kun! Are you alright?”

“Nnngh,” replied Yosuke.

“Okay, good, because I need some help here! Come over here and I’ll heal you!”

Fuck, Yukiko was on her own.

Souji managed to stop his vision from spinning and contained a painful coughing fit only to see a hand in his face.

“C’mon!” Yosuke was urging.

Souji grabbed the offered hand and was pulled up then yanked towards Yukiko. He felt warm trickle down the side of his face.

“Yukiko! Heal Souji! I’ll hold Kubo off!”

Souji walked slowly towards Yosuke but was stopped as Yukiko ran up to him.

“Souji-kun! Hold still, I’ll fix it.”

Souji felt the cool and warm of diarahan working on him. It was like one of those icy-hot patches, only over his entire body. His head hurt less and blood wasn’t running down his face, but his ribs were still sore when he took a breath.

“Do you still hur--”

Rise’s voice broke out in his head “Yosuke-kun!!!”

Souji pushed Yukiko out of the way, running for Yosuke. Yosuke had mistakenly tried to lesson Kubo’s shadow’s attack power and had instead taken a hit head on.

“Yosuke!” Souji ran over, standing between Yosuke and Kubo's shadow. He yelled for Yukiko to heal Yosuke and put up a shield to protect that would hold for a few of the shadow’s attacks if they were lucky. He braced himself, calling on Rise to analyze the shadow.

“It’s--it’s beaten down. You just need to get that armor down one more time I think,” her voice wavered in his ear.

Souji could feel the prickling of diarahan behind him and knew Yukiko was working on Yosuke. Two blocked attacks later, Yukiko was standing next to Souji, and Yosuke next to her, wavering a little, but kunai up and ready. Both of them had determined looks. Yosuke caught Souji’s eye, adjusted his headphones, and nodded.

Souji faced back towards Kubo’s sahdow and grinned. In a strong voice, he told them to get ready for another all-out. He looked at the pathetic shadow in front of them that had nearly ended Yosuke and exhausted Yukiko. He was going to beat that armor down and then beat the shit out of Kubo.

 

* * *

 

 

No one had had the heart to beat the shit out of Kubo. If Souji had done it, he would have looked like a villain to the rest of the team. Kubo had passed out after rejecting his shadow, and Souji and Yosuke were forced to drag his sorry ass through the TV world, fighting off random small fry as they went. They found Kanji and then Chie as they went back and the group took turns dragging Kubo. The only satisfaction in all of it was knowing that Kubo had at least killed Morooka. After Yosuke told the rest of the Team that Kubo had insisted/admitted to killing the others too, everyone was quiet, no doubt trying to process whether that was true or not. When they got out of the TV world, Kubo in tow, everyone hid their weapons and Souji called his Doujima, telling him someone had been claiming to have committed all the murders and that the student had known a lot of details about Morooka’s murder that hadn’t been on the news.

Doujima, Adachi in tow, showed up and took Kubo into custody. While Adachi was cuffing Kubo, Kubo was staring at Adachi, then the rest of them, panic on his face. He was mumbling under his breath, making no sense to Doujima. TVs. Being pushed in. Being nothing. Adachi pushed Kubo into the police car and Doujima came up to Souji. He looked at Souji and all of his friends, put a hand up to ruffle Souji’s hair and sighed.

“I--thank you for calling this in, Souji. Next time though, you really shouldn’t knock another kid out, even if they are claiming to be a murderer. Be careful, okay?” he looked around at Yosuke, Chie, and crew. “All of you. What you did this time is very brave and useful, but you shouldn’t take action yourselves. It’s dangerous.”

Everyone except Souji nodded and agreed to not do something so dangerous again. Adachi came back from the car and thanked the Team, apologizing for Doujima’s gruff ways. “He’s just concerned,” he said sheepishly, smiling lopsidedly at all of them until he met eyes with Souji. His smile changed just a bit then, and Souji was annoyed to realize he couldn’t read it.

“We’re gonna have to book and interrogate Kubo. I don’t think Doujima-san remembers what time it is right now. Can you go home and take care of Nanako-chan, Souji-kun?”

Souji stared straight, dead, at Adachi. Then nodded. Of course he would. Nobody needed to fucking ask him.

Adachi addressed all of them together before leaving, “I think this kid is a a solid suspect, and things should calm down around here, but make sure you lock your doors anways, yeah?”

They all nodded again, tired of the preaching. Adachi seemed to notice and grinned sheepishly again, waving and joining Doujima, and Kubo, in the police car.

The Team, especially Yukiko and Yosuke, looked worn out. They all congratulated each other on a good job, even if they felt uneasy, and headed their separate ways home. Chie helped Yukiko along and Kanji walked Rise home. Yosuke, with good foresight, had sent Teddie home when they came out of the TV, not wanting him to be around when the officers showed up. Teddie could be counted on for only two things: bad bear puns and making situations awkward. Souji mentally praised Yosuke.

But that mean Yosuke and Souji were left to walk each other home. They waved the others off, and Yosuke turned to smile at Souji.

“Well, I’m not sure exactly what happened, but at least we did something,” he grinned.

“You’re still not sure though,” Souji said without thinking.

Yosuke looked pensive and nodded towards the general direction of their homes.

“I don’t know. Let’s just go home for now. I think we could both--” Yosuke cringed, putting a hand to his head. “use some rest,” he smiled.

Souji frowned and went to move Yosuke’s hand. Yosuke didn’t flinch or back away, so Souji took Yosuke’s hand in his and pulled it down. There was red in Yosuke’s hair. Yukiko hadn't managed to completely heal everything, no surprise given the circumstances.

“Do you need to go to the hospital,” Souji asked, more feeling coming into his voice than he’s meant.

“Dude, I’m fine. Don’t make that face like I’m dying or something,” Yosuke rolled his eyes, “besides,” Yosuke’s other hand moved out, towards Souji. Souji stared at it like it was an alien tentacle. Yosuke’s hand brushed his chest, just under his nipple, and moved downward, running over his ribcage until it his his fourth rib. Then it stopped. Lingered. And pushed. "You're not completely fine either, are you?"

“ _Fucking hell_ ,” Souji cringed, buckling over and grabbing at Yosuke’s hand at the same time.

Yosuke lost his shit. He was doubled over, laughing. In between Yosuke's guffaws and snorts and the pain Souji was feeling, he could make out words like “first time”, “curse”, “do you kiss your mother”, and “filthy mouth”.

“No," Souji gasped, getting his breathing under control, "I do not kiss my mother with this mouth,” Souji straightened up, the pain subsiding a bit. “I don’t think I ever have. The sentiment is mutual.”

Yosuke wiped at his own eyes, smiling knowingly. Souji never talked about his parents for a reason. “I’m not going to pry because every family has their thing. Heck, I know that well. But that's a shame.”

“What, my estranged relationship with my parents” Souji said, carefully, wondering where it was going.

“That you don’t ever kiss her.”

“With this ‘dirty’ mouth?” Souji raised an eyebrow. He could banter. He could banter all night. He wanted to banter all night.

Yosuke nodded, crossing his arms, only blushing slightly. “A perfectly good dirty mouth going to waste.”

Suddenly Souji felt the pain in his ribs stronger with the breaths he took. “Yosuke,” Souji said in a way that was meant to be warning, but it sounded weak even to himself. What was he trying to warn Yosuke of anyway? That if Yosuke kept cluelessly flirting, Souji would push him down on the pavement, right then and there?

Yosuke looked up at him, determined, and Souji realized he still had both of Yosuke’s hands caught in his.

But he wouldn’t, do that, would he. Souji wondered since when had he gotten weak? Or was it strong?

“You could use them on me?”

Yosuke had looked away at some point, and his whole face was red. Souji was first shocked. Then shocked Yosuke had managed to ask that without stuttering, because it was corny as hell and also because it was a question. Which meant Souji had a choice.

“I mean, if...if you don’t want to, that’s totally cool,” Yosuke’s hands were twitching in his, small struggles to get free, away from embarrassment. When had Yosuke learned to be this manipulative?

Souji could walk away from the closeted, frustrating ball of torture standing in front of him, blushing and nervous. He could stop, right now. Say no and be done with it. Go back to pce. (partners common era). Let it go. Let it not eat at him anymore, ever again. He could reject Yosuke.

Who the fuck was he kidding? He could shove his tongue so far down his throat, Yosuke would gag. He could suck Yosuke’s breath out and bite those lips that were always being chewed.

Souji pulled Yosuke’s hands, and Yosuke, towards himself. He let go of one and brought his hand slowly up to Yosuke’s face, running fingertips down the side of Yosuke’s cheek. Yosuke swallowed and Souji could hear it echoing in his ears. He slid his fingertips under Yosuke’s chin and, slowly, tilted Yosuke’s face up. Yosuke took a long, slow breath.

Souji bent down and kissed Yosuke. Yosuke’s lips were less cracked than before. Less dry. Had he been using chapstick? Souji worked his lips over Yosuke’s slowly, taking each of them between his own, one at a time. Yosuke made a sound between a whine and a grunt, opening his mouth. As much as it literally physically pained him, Souji ignored the inside of Yosuke’s mouth, only working on Yosuke’s lips. He lightly bit Yosuke’s bottom lip and pulled, letting it slide between his own teeth. Yosuke’s other hand clenched inside Souji’s. Souji licked across Yosuke’s mouth, running his cat tongue over Yosuke’s cupid’s bow in warm swipes. Yosuke was taking deep breaths, his chest rising and falling high and low. Souji worked over Yosuke’s lips once more, nibbling, then kissed both corners gently.

Souji pulled back, examining Yosuke. Yosuke was flushed and looked shaken in a way that said he wasn’t shocked or scared. After a moment, Yosuke seemed to snap out of it and looked at Souji questioningly.

“I can continue,” Souji offered.

“I...I mean, if you want.” It was pleading. Pleading for more, a _careful_ more. Not _too_ much.

“It’s not about what I want,” Souji said cooly. Because it wasn’t. If it was about what he wanted, Yosuke would be on his knees, pants around his ankles.

Yosuke looked confused. And concerned.

“K-kissing is okay. Kissing is....nice,” Yosuke blushed out of his mouth.

“And after kissing?” Souji kept his face straight and looking like he honestly wanted to know. Which, he guessed he did after all. He was sure that, if he jumped Yosuke right now, Yosuke would probably go along with it. But the repercussions afterwards might be a bigger pain in the ass than all of this put together. It might break the Team.

When had Souji begun to care about The Team as an entity? As all of them together and not, admittedly impressive, individuals that could be used?

“I...I don’t know. Yet. I’m not sure. I mean...I think I’d need to, y’know...work up to ‘after’.”

Souji wanted to ask right then if that meant that someday, yes, Souji could suck his dick, or whether that meant the rest of the school year would be spent on careful kissing. Souji was going to explode.

“Okay,” Souji said lightly, letting go of Yosuke’s hand, which had become clammy in his.

“Okay?” Yosuke echoed. “I'm sorry, I...I’m just confused right now.”

That was a hell of an understatement. Souji nodded, serious, “Okay.”

Yosuke visibly deflated with what seemed to be relief and disappointment. Manipulative. 

Because Yosuke seemed to be waiting for something else, Souji continued, “whatever you’re comfortable with, Yosuke. You set the pace.”

Put the ball in Yosuke’s court. Make him do the work for once. Make him decide he craved Souji as much as Souji craved him. Let him run circles around himself. Souji was done thinking.

Yosuke smiled sheepishly at Souji.

“Thanks...Partner.”

Souji put a hand on Yosuke’s hair, ruffling it.

“H-hey! I’m not one of your cats!”

“I don’t have any cats.” Souji wondered if cats could be euphemisms for Yosuke’s ass.

“You have, like, thirty! They’re outside your house all the time. I see you petting and feeding them!”

Souji shrugged. "But they aren't mine."

Yosuke punched Souji in the shoulder and they made their way to the Doujima house.

Outside the door, Yosuke was once again a stumbling mess. Souji decided to save them both the embarrassment and hassle.

“See you tomorrow, Yosuke.”

“Y-yeah, see you. Tell Nanako-chan hi for me.”

Souji watched Yosuke get half-way down the street, then closed and locked the door. He greeted Nanako with the best smile he could muster after putting every inch of himself to the test.

Nanako, like always, seemed to notice something wasn’t quite right, but had a big smile for him in return.

The only thing constant and non-frustrating and reliable in his hick life was his little cousin who smiled like the fucking sun. Souji sat down to help her with her homework.

 

* * *

 

 

It was around 1am that Souji was woken up by the front door opening and closing at the same time that someone was running water in the bathroom.

Souji got up, thinking he’d make a cup of tea for Doujima and wring any information he could out of the man while he was overworked and tired and more likely to spill.

However, Doujima wasn’t in his room, the door of which was open. The futon, however, had obviously been slept in. Souji had heard the door, had Doujima left? But there was someone in the bathroom.

Souji waited, getting two mugs out. Doujima’s and his. He was about to plug in the electric kettle when he heard a thump and cursing from the bathroom that was distinctly not as deep or growling as Doujima’s cursing was.

Souji switched Doujima’s mug for Adachi’s. Adachi was even better. He’d spill easily. Or…

Souji’s thoughts were interrupted when the bathroom door suddenly opened and Adachi came out, in his boxers and an undershirt, hurriedly, mumbling “towel...towel...fuck.”

Souji cleared his throat. Adachi nearly jumped out of his boxers.

“S-Souji-kun.”

“Where’s....Uncle?”

“He-he had to go back. Kubo. I mean, Kubo tried to hang himself in his cell tonight. Gotta keep him alive until he can be transferred tomorrow. Um, can you get me a towel? I...um, I’d like to use the shower if I can?”

Souji nodded slowly, staring at Adachi. Adachi was visibly uncomfortable. He hadn’t been before. Not since Souji saw him coming out of Doujima’s room the first time.

Ah.

“Tell me, I’m curious,” Souji walked slowly towards Adachi.

“Eh?” Adachi looked panicked.

“Which is more comfortable? Doujima’s futon? Or the couch? I never cared much for futons. I had a western bed in Tokyo. It creaked, but it was easier on the knees.”

Adachi paled. ‘Um. Shower. Can I get a towel?”

Souji tilted his head in the direction of the cabinet.

“Thanks!” Adachi went over. Souji watched him carefully. Adachi grabbed the first towel on top and made for the bathroom again, but Souji followed him. He leaned in the doorway of the changing room, watching Adachi.

“Er, Souji-kun can you leave me to it?”  
“You’ve got something there.”

“Eh?!”

“On your ankle. No, actually, it’s running down your entire leg.”

Adachi froze, halfway through lifting his undershirt off. Souji moved quick, trapping Adachi’s arms in his shirt, still lifted over his head. He pushed Adachi into the washing machine, the laundry basket on top falling to the side, caught between the wall and the washer. Souji kept pushing, until Adachi had to throw out his trapped arms in front of him or fall chest first onto the washing machine.

“I’m worried. I wonder where it’s coming from," Souji said blandly. Adachi’s body stiffened.

“Souji-kun,” Adachi said warningly, pleadingly. “Look, Souji-kun--”

Souji slipped fingers beneath the waistband of Adachi’s boxers.

“We should really get you cleaned up. What would Doujima say if he saw you leaking his cum all over our lovely little house? What would he say if he saw you all dirty like this?”

Adachi whined. Souji pulled down the boxers in one swift move, mercilessly.

A thin line of white liquid was drying on Adachi’s inner thighs and a wet string of it pulled away with the boxers.

Souji leaned over Adachi. “ _Clean yourself._ Get it all out,” he whispered, ordered, into Adachi’s ear. Adachi's body prickled.

Souji was completely shocked and had to quickly take a step back when Adachi turned on him suddenly, his eyes flashing, his still-bound arms slipping over Souji’s head and around his neck.

Adachi’s arms escaped their prison and Souji heard the undershirt fall to the ground behind him somewhere. Everything was still for a moment. Like anything would send the quiet between them shattering like glass. Then, slowly, Souji felt fingers tighten into his hair until it was almost painful. Around his neck until he felt the pressure on his windpipe.

Adachi glared up into Souji’s eyes with a danger that Souji hadn’t seen in them before. He’d seen a bit of crazy, but nothing like the dark, hot, anger that he was seeing in that moment.

“ _You_ do it. Clean me,” Adachi ordered, his voice high and craving, his eyes angry.

When he entered Adachi with a hard thrust, Souji felt warm wetness already inside.

Souji grabbed Adachi's hands and removed them from his hair and thrusted hard, forcing Adachi to grips the sides of the washing machine. “You’re pathetic, Adachi. You come crawling here. You take all of Doujima’s cum. You drink it up. But it’s not enough, is it? No, you need more. Something he won’t give you. He treats you gently, but uses you.” As he fucked Adachi, cum leaked out, slicking Adachi even more.

Adachi whined into his own arm.

“You want his cum in you, but you want to be fucked hard and he won’t do that. He fucks you like a girl. _Like his wife_.”

Adachi growled and it turned into a high noise when Souji adjusted his angle and rammed in mercilessly.

“You want to be fucked hard. You want him to fuck you unconscious and fill you up. You want him to use you. You want him to need you. You want him to need to fuck you in order to sleep at night. Just like you imagine every night.”

Adachi gripped Souji with one hand and Souji could feel dull, short fingernails in his neck. Souji gripped Adachi’s wet thighs, thrusted, hard, two more times and pulled out, spilling all over Adachi’s stomach.

He would fuck Adachi. He’d even use his uncle’s jizz for lube, but he was damned if he’d mix his own cum with Doujima’s. He’d be damned if he ever came inside of Adachi. 

They gasped hard  in the air between them. Souji touched his neck carefully making sure the marks of pain wouldn’t show the next day. Satisfied, he wiped himself and buckled his pants.

“You kiss that Junes boy with that dirty mouth?”

Souji’s attention turned back to Adachi, who was looking at him, disheveled, with an appraising, shit-eating grin.

“So what if I do,” Souji said nonchalantly, the irony not wasted on him.

Adachi shrugged. “So nothing. I wonder what he’d think if he saw that earlier.”

“Probably not much different from what Doujima would think,” Souji countered with just a bit of venom.

“Fair enough,” Adachi reached for the forgotten towel.

Souji left Adachi to clean himself. He threw another towel at Adachi and told him to lock the front door when he left. Back in his bedroom, Souji realized his phone was blinking. He must have gotten a text after he’d gone to sleep before.

_Hey, I’m sorry for...for everything. Thanks for being cool about it. Let’s eat lunch together tomorrow? On the roof._

Souji wondered how long Yosuke had taken to write the text. It had none of it’s usual lack of respect for grammar. Souji texted back sure, knowing that Yosuke wouldn’t see it until the morning.

Laying in bed, Souji heard the front door open and close twenty minutes later as Adachi made his way to the police precinct.

 

END

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And you thought it couldn't get more fucked up. 
> 
> Send me questions, love letters, and death threats at my tumblr:  
> schumie.tumblr.com


	11. I Haven't Got My Strange

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naoto goes missing and takes some of the Team's dignity along.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The prodigal fic returns.
> 
> Just a note on Naoto: I know many people have different opinions, but the game never really solidified Naoto's preferred pronouns, in Naoto's words, so I feel a bit weird calling Naoto He or She. Just know that if Naoto is referred to that way, it's because I think it's how those characters would refer to Naoto. I'd like to think they'd all change how they do so if Naoto made it clear though. 
> 
> I couldn't find a beta, and I couldn't be assed, so there are probably lots of mistakes. Maybe in the future I'll come back and fix them. Enjoy.

Time inched by. The police had sent Kubo off to a higher-security prison where he could be watched for any suicide attempts. The Team spent their time trying to go back to “normal days”, but Souji saw unease in all of them. He felt some of the same--the feeling that while it should be, it didn’t seem like everything was done at all. That might have been more to do with Souji’s personal wishes more than anything, though. Because, what the hell would happen if everything was finished? Would the Mystery Gang just go about their daily lives like usual? Would he keep going to basketball practice with Daisuke and watch him and Kou weave in and out of their desire to bone each other? Would he go to drama club and have to deal with more of the president’s family daytime soap drama? Would he go back to wiping snot and cleaning up “accidents” at the daycare? Would he go back to being a typical disappointment to wealthy parents (he didn’t mind that) and a mooch to his workaholic uncle?

Would he go back to a boredom so disgusting and horrendous, he had become a different person just to escape it?

He knew all of those things were very real, repulsive possibilities compared to hunting down shadow figures in an alternate reality/world/thing for the rest of his life. Technically, that could get boring after a while. After all that danger and excitement and power, who wouldn’t want to go back to doing mundane favors for every other person in the town and never having time for himself? To getting monthly or bi-monthly obligatory calls from parents and being a stand-in dad at as a teenager? Fighting shadows with badass alternative personalities had nothing against that. Having the ultimate power of the wild card totally paled in comparison to country living.

“Hey, Partner,” Yosuke side-eyed Souji, on the third day after they’d caught Kubo, backpack slung over one shoulder on the way home from school. “...what happens now?”

Souji looked at Yosuke. Yosuke blinked back at him and then looked down and kicked a rock. The rock went flying for a few feet then tumbled softly down the riverbank.

“I...I know I shouldn’t think this way, but...I don’t want to ignore what my shadow said before. I think, if I do, stuff might get messed up, and, well...he--I--said how I hated being out here in the sticks. And how I wanted attention and wanted people to like me. And, well, having a freaking serial killer to track down when we were the only ones who knew most what was going on--well, it gave us something really important to do. As a group. It made us kinda….special, right?”

 

Souji stopped on the road. He nodded towards the river and leisurely walked down the grass of the bank. Yosuke followed him, like Souji knew he would. Souji stopped at the bottom and turned to look at Yosuke.

“You don’t want it to be over,” Souji echoed himself slowly.

“N-no, I mean! It’s not that I want anyone else to get taken or killed, hell no” Yosuke ran around in front of Souji, as if to physically stop Souji from thinking badly of him. “Jesus, it’d be horrible if more people died. I mean, Saki-senpai, she…her brother...” Yosuke shook his head and Souji noticed that Yosuke’s eyebrows were knitted together, but his expression was odd. Souji couldn’t place it.

“I’d never wish for that,” Yosuke shook his brown hair. “But having a quest--no, that sounds so dumb--a job, that only we could do, it felt important. We were important. I was probably more important than I ever will be again and--”

Souji, for the millionth time, found himself re-evaluating Yosuke. Yosuke was becoming honest with himself, and he valued Souji enough to be honest with Souji too, even for something that might taint Souji’s opinion of him? Or maybe he just thought Souji was a good ear, a safe ear, someone who wouldn’t judge. Souji was disgusted to find himself debating over Yosuke’s actions. He stopped his train of thought.

“And you don’t want to lose that,” Souji said pointedly.

Yosuke looked away, ashamed. “I...I’m a horrible person, I know. I’m exactly how my shadow--”

“Your shadow,” Souji broke in, saying it as thoughtfully as he could, “said that you crave attention. You want people to like you.”

Yosuke looked at him, and Souji could practically read “you’re going to say something that is true and will hurt me” in Yosuke’s dumb brown puppy dog eyes. Souji found himself blinking to cut himself away from them.

“And the thing is, you may have felt important, because we were important. But what we were doing was also a secret. No one is going to praise us. We’re underage, so our names will probably be kept out of any newspapers or TV reports anyway, even after handing over Kubo. Only my uncle and Adachi-san know that we were the ones to bring in Kubo. They won’t sing your praises. You won’t be more popular at school. Girls won’t fall over you because you’re a hero.”

“W-well, yeah, but--”

“You may have started out with bad motives--revenge for Saki-sempai, or needing people to like you--but you kept with it, with us, through all of it. And it’s been tough.”

Souji took a step towards Yosuke and, thinking it was a logical time to do it and he could actually get away with it, Souji put a hand on Yosuke, on the curve where Yosuke’s should and neck met, and smiled as comfortingly as he could.

“You did it anyway. You helped catch Kubo. Even if there’s the possibility he only killed Morooka, you helped catch a killer. And you didn’t do it for yourself. The bonus is...you may not be more popular, and people won’t call out your name around town, but the Investigation Team will always be friends. We’ll all know how vital you are. You’re six people more popular now than you were before. Six really cool people--well, five and a...bear--who will always think you’re awesome, exactly as you are, no matter how you change.”

Yosuke grinned, carefully, and punched Souji in the arm. “You can be such a lame sap sometimes. You’re great at white lies.”

“Okay, I might have lied. I’m the only cool one on the team. But I still like you.”

Yosuke rolled his eyes and put his hand on Souji’s to remove Souji’s palm. Souji could feel Yosuke’s pulse beneath the warm thumb and index fingers.

“Yosuke,” Souji said, just to stop him, and realized he didn’t know what else to say after. He just wanted to feel that pulse some more. It worked though, and Yosuke’s hand stilled on top of Souji’s. Souji leaned in, until his mouth was next to Yosuke’s ear. He could feel the pulse quickening. “I...don’t want it to be over either,” Souji whispered lowly into Yosuke’s ear.

For a brief moment, Yosuke’s hand tightened on Souji’s. Souji could feel the surprise in Yosuke’s body. The sudden stiffening and then the relaxation. There was a moment where Souji examined and enjoyed in the feeling, but then Souji realized, with a shock, what he had done. He’d fucked up. He’d broken his perfect leader image with one single whispered sentence. He’d blown everything he’d worked so hard to create and maintain. And if Yosuke told anyone else that their honorable, justice-seeking leader wanted the investigation to continue for selfish reasons--the persona Souji had created for Inaba would shatter.

“Yosuke--” Souji began, already in emergency repair mode.

But Yosuke pushed Souji back slightly and smiled, lopsidedly at him, tapping Souji’s hand lightly as a signal. Souji removed his hand but didn’t step back.

“You...you always know exactly what to say. I--maybe you just said that to make me feel better, but...hearing that really takes the weight off. Even you have your flaws, huh?” Yosuke had no idea. “I...well, anyway, I just want to stay with you guys. Whether the shadow world exists or not anymore, whether or not we have personas, I want to stay with everyone.” Yosuke looked at Souji, straight in the eyes, and Souji was stuck like a mouse in a snake’s vision. A really lame snake. Fuck the snake analogy, more like a puppy.

“I want to stay with you,” Yosuke said firmly.

There it was. Souji knew it might come, but he hadn’t expected it. Yosuke had moved fast and Souji was almost surprised when their lips were pushed together. Yosuke’s blown out hair tickled his ear and the pulse beneath his fingers, where he’d put his hand on the side of Yosuke’s jaw and throat, was thumping erratically. Yosuke’s lips were warm and there was a bit of sweat above them when they moved on Souji’s. Souji slid his free hand under Yosuke’s hair to cup his ear like the headphones Yosuke always wore. He let Yosuke kiss him, then kissed back.

But he had to be careful. Souji pulled away first and realized that Yosuke had had his eyes open the whole time. Souji looked at Yosuke, one eyebrow raised subconsciously. He had expected something like that might happen sooner or later. But never, ever would he expect Yosuke to do it out in public, on a route where all of their classmates and town elderly often walked.

“I-um...I’m s--”

“No,” Souji stated directly. “You shouldn’t be.”

“But, I-I did that, and out here, and--”

“I’m definitely not sorry.” Souji smiled just a little and was disturbed to realize it was a real smile. If he’d scripted it, it would have been a broad, warm smile. But it was too late now. Souji was rewarded for his candidness with a disturbingly red Yosuke who was exhibiting a fantastic speech impediment.

“I-I-you, I mean, I-”

“That face you’re making makes me think of fish. Wanna go fishing tomorrow?” Souji might as well roll with it, see how far he could push it now that the proverbial cat was out of the bag.

Yosuke deflated. He peered up at Souji then looked away, feigning a shrug. “Whatever. Sure. I mean. You know you’re a jerk, right?”

Souji grinned. “Ask anyone in this town. I’m a saint.”

 

 

An uncomfortable peace fell over the Team. They met for lunch regularly on the roof still during school, and they’d chatter about school or classes and give Rise and Kanji tips for getting through certain classes, but inevitably the topic would start to rise, they could all feel it bubbling up. Usually Chie would try to squash it down with talk about Kung Fu movies or Kanji would break out his newest crafting project to give to Souji to hand over to Nanako (which would elicit squeals of ‘how cute!’ from the girls and cause Kanji to snap at everyone while blushing furiously and thus effectively changing the direction of the conversation.)

The girls had hatched a plan for Rise to try to befriend Naoto, but that had failed miserably because Naoto was absent from school so often and, if he was there, he would disappear during breaks and leave the second the bell rang for the end of the day.

“Man, that guy’s super lucky,” Yosuke whined. “I want to skip class too.”

“If you were a genius teenaged detective too, maybe you could,” Chie muched through a mouthful of meat “But that’d mean you’d need to be a detective. And and a genius.”

“I can’t believe you brought cold gyuudon for lunch, you heathen,” Yosuke frowned but said nothing further because Chie was within kicking distance of his ass.

Like that, they passed several lunches, sat their classes, and waited for what was probably nothing to happen.

Souji found himself spending an inordinate amount of time with Yosuke. When the nurse had kept hitting on him relentlessly (even if she did have big tits, Souji wasn’t feeling it and she obviously had some major issues), he started cutting down his hours at the hospital. The lady was depressing in her loneliness and the last time he saw her, he left her with the card of a counselor that did phone calls from Tokyo. The counselor was normally for “endangered youths,” but whatever, she could work her own shit out. He’d done as much as he could muster the will to.

After some serious convincing and charming smiles, he’d talked the workers at the daycare he volunteered at to let Kanji come with him. Kanji had stumbled through an awkward self-introduction but had immediately taken over the arts and crafts activities and looked like he was practically in heaven. The kids climbed all over him and he shouted at them, but the kids ignored it the stubborn way kids do when they’ve found a new toy, and the workers seemed to stop minding Kanji’s bleached hair and earrings when he taught them how to make paper flowers for the kids. They said Kanji had a way with kids. His random outbursts and blushing fits just endeared him to them more.

Souji was able to halve his volunteer time without leaving the daycare on the ropes. Kanji was better with kids anyway. The only kid Souji could say he ever actually cared for was Nanako, and that was only because she was a goddamn absolute angel and pretty much perfect in every way. Normally Souji hated people like that, but it made Nanako an actually-tolerable kid.

With all of that extra time, Souji found himself at home more to spend time with Nanako, or waiting for Yosuke to get off work so they could hang out. They hadn’t kissed since the riverbank, but Souji found Yosuke being a bit more close than usual. Yosuke wouldn’t pull away if their hands brushed, Souji found Yosuke’s hands on his shoulders a few times, and Yosuke was foregoing a lot of his dudebro comments. A couple of days, Yosuke even came over after work and brought older produce from Junes so he could make curry for Souji and Nanako. Curry, as it turned out, was the only thing Yosuke could actually make, so he loved showing it off to Nanako.

“Eh? How is it? Hm?” Yosuke beamed at Nanako, hands on his apron-ed hips.

He’d borrowed Souji’s apron and Souji was in a bit of a rough spot, trying not to imagine situations that were inappropriate for little ears. Situations like an apron pulled tightly over an erection and Yosuke’s hips shaking as he was being pounded to the sound of the kitchen timer, gasping around the dishcloth in his mouth, hands accidentally knocking a knife off the counter, the blade sliding across the floor, reflecting Yosuke’s orgasm in it’s polished edge as Souji pulled on the apron’s cross straps to bury himself deeper inside Yosuke before…

Souji slowly sipped at his cold water.

“It’s great!” Nanako responded after tasting a spoonful. “You’re really good at making curry, Yosuke!” (Yosuke had insisted she call him by his first name only.)

Yosuke basked in his short-lived glory and was turning to grin at Souji but Nanako wasn’t finished.

“I can actually eat this one! Yukiko and Chie’s curry was a little...well, you should teach them! Then we can all make curry together and no one will be sick!” Nanako beamed innocently.

Souji choked on his water.

“Oh, come on!” Yosuke yelled at him, pointing a finger. “She said it was good!”

Souji, through tears in his eyes, gave Yosuke a pitying look.

“Don’t you---ugh. Whatever. Nanako-chan, help me dish up the rice?”

“‘Kay!”

They all sat at the table and ate together, a warm silence broken ocassionally with Nanako’s idle chatter. Nanako was about to get seconds for Souji when the sound of the front door opening stopped her. She put Souji’s bowl down and ran to the door.

“Dadd--oh, Adachi-san, good evening.”

Souji heard the drop in her voice and then the rise again of warm politeness. Souji, for the hundredth time, wanted to kill Dojima. But that would have to wait.

Adachi came in, tie loose and bedraggled as always, a lop-sided smile on his face. He stopped, eyebrows raised at the scene of the dinner table.

Adachi locked eyes with Souji. “Ah, the son of the Junes manager….Hanamura-kun, was it?” Adachi said without looking at Yosuke.

For some reason, Souji hated the sound of Yosuke’s name coming from Adachi’s mouth. It was an immediate revulsion.

“Ah, yeah, um, thanks for before, Adachi-san,” Yosuke said, slowly, awkwardly.

Souji gave Adachi a blank stare. The corner of Adachi’s mouth raised, just slightly, and Souji hated him in that instant because it was that look. That look like Adachi knew everything.Like Adachi understood something about Souji that Souji didn’t. Adachi stared at Souji that way for another second, then finally turned his gaze to Yosuke and smiled widely.

“No, no, not at all! It was because of you kids that we were able to apprehend a murderer without any further incidents. If you ask me, you guys should be getting a medal, but this is Inaba and the police barely have enough money to fill the few positions at the precinct.”

“Is that why you had to bring in an outside detective?” Yosuke asked, through a mouthful of potato and carrot.

It was there, for only an instant. A flash so fast that only Souji could see it. Anger. Pure, burning, fast anger on Adachi’s face.

“Well-” Adachi began, but Souji cut him off.

“Adachi-san, did I forget to lock the front door? If so, can you lock it now?”

Adachi’s face quickly melted to blank and then he smiled. “Ah, no, it was locked. Doujima-san gave me a spare key since he’s been so busy lately and he sends me over to check on Nanako so often now. I guess he thought it would be easier this way. So, I let myself in.”

Who was all the explanation for? Nanako? Yosuke? It certainly wasn’t for Souji, because Souji knew the other truth. Souji smiled and made it a humoring one. “Is that so?” He wondered idly if the house key from Doujima had come with a free bottle of lube. Naw, his uncle didn’t seem like the lube type. Adachi didn’t either. Adachi liked it that…

Yosuke was giving Souji a look.

“I’ve asked for leeway and I’m doing less volunteering now, so I’ll be around more. Tell my uncle not to worry about Nanako.”

“Oh? Is that so” Adachi’s cartoonishly high eyebrows arched even higher. Adachi glanced at Yosuke. “You’ve made progress then. You seemed overly busy lately. That’s not good for students. They have to focus on school. It’s okay to turn people down. You have to know when to say ‘no’.”

Souji smiled. “It’s a bad trait, I know. I think I get it from my Uncle.”

“Adachi-san,” Nanako patiently piped in. Souji had almost forgotten she was there. That was dangerous. “Yosuke made curry and we were all eating. Do you want some too?”

“Ah, thank you, Nanako-chan, you’re a sweetie. I just came to check up on you, but if you’ve got these two big brothers here, I don’t have to worry about you at all. I’ll tell Doujima-san that you’re doing well and eating delicious curry.”

“Edible,” Souji coughed and received an elbow in the ribs from Yosuke.

 

“Okay!” Nanako beamed. “But, um, can you take these rice balls to Daddy? He always eats that instant ramen and it’s bad for him,” Nanako hurried to the counter and wrapped two rice balls lightning-quick. She handed them to Adachi who grinned down at her.

“You’re such a good girl. Doujima-san is lucky to have you,” Adachi smiled goofily.

Nanako blushed away the compliment and perkily saw Adachi off at the door. Souji waited and ate his curry, which had gotten cool.

Yosuke glanced at him. “Does Adachi-san come over here that often?”

“He’s been here a lot lately.”

“...I don’t like that him. He seems air-headed and harmless and talks a lot.”

Souji had to tread carefully, very carefully, but he was insanely curious too. Had Yosuke picked up on something and gotten jealous? No, if Yosuke had picked up on something, his reaction would be much, much bigger.

“That’s good for us. If there’s anything new the police find, we can get the info from him if we ask right.”

“He’s too air-headed and harmless. He’s a detective. You don’t make detective like that. And every detective knows when to keep their mouth shut. You think your uncle told him to keep an eye on you?”

Souji shrugged. “It doesn’t matter either way. When I’m not here, he can’t watch me. When I am here, he just comes and eats our food and sits on our couch until it’s time for him to go back to work. Not much different from Uncle.”

“Naoto suspected us for a while. Do you think the police do too now? I’m assuming you’ve already asked him about the case and you would have told us if it was anything important.”

Souji wasn’t surprised anymore by Yosuke’s random outbursts of acuity. While Yosuke normally chose to stick to the “bro” line of conversation, whenever they talked about the murders, he was always right on Souji’s heels. Souji should have known Yosuke would pick up on it. He wondered if he’d picked up on anything else.

“He said something about just another attention-seeking high schooler, so I think Naoto has somehow convinced the rest of the cops that Kubo only committed the one murder. I don’t think they have any other suspects though.”

“So, basically, we’re not even ahead of the cops now, even though we could literally go to the world where the murders happen and we understand how they’re committed.”

Well, if you put it that negative, futile, whiny way, yeah, Souji supposed so, and it sucked ass.

“That sucks,” Yosuke said and took a bite of curry. “Guess it’s time for more investigation. I mean, if we’re right about Kubo. ”

“I think that if it were Kubo who committed all those murders, since we caught him, we might not be able to get into the TV anymore.”

Yosuke looked up at Souji in surprise. “Wait. You think we have/had this...ability...because we were meant to stop the murders? I guess that’d make sense since we were suddenly able to do it. But then, why could the murderer get into the TV world in the first place?”

Souji didn’t know. He had thought it over a million times and no reasonable explanation had come about. Only that everything had started when he got to Inaba, and Igor had practically recruited him for justice, as ironic as that was.

“...do you think that, when this is over, Teddie will disappear?”

The question came from so far out of left field for Souji, he was startled. It was connected, but pretty far from the murder train of thought. Souji guessed that, as much as Yosuke bitched about it, he’d gotten used to Teddie being around. They shared a room, afterall.

“...I think that...he’s still around, so that probably means we still have work to do.”

Yosuke pushed a potato around with his spoon, eyebrows scrunched down. A pause stretched out between them and Souji observed silently as Yosuke took a bite of curry. “Ugh, this really tastes bad now that it’s cold.”

“I’ll heat it up for you!” piped up Nanako’s voice as she joined them again. Nanako and Souji heated up the plates and they ate the rest of their dinner, Nanako chatting warmly, Souji plotting Dojima’s death if he didn’t show for dinner the next day, and Yosuke exchanging meaningful looks with Souji that Souji, for once, didn’t really know the meaning of.

 

Naoto didn’t come to school, so they weren’t able to ask him anything. On the first day of the second week, Naoto still hadn’t shown at school. It would have been normal, especially considering the handling of Kubo and all, except that the homeroom teacher had asked if anyone in the class knew where Naoto was (which implied he was supposed to be at school that day, and wasn’t) and Rise had picked up on it. She relayed the information to the Team on the roof while they ate lunch together. Yukiko said that there hadn’t been any rain forecasted that morning on TV, but there was a general buzz of uneasiness and...something a little different.

“Think you could ask you uncle or Adachi-san if Naoto was around today, Partner? We could be jumping to conclusions here. Say your friends are concerned or something ‘cuz haven’t seen their classmate?”

“We are concerned,” Rise reminded Yosuke. “Right, Kanji?”

Kanji blushed and looked away. “Hell yeah, we are. Anybody disappearin’ is bad news any way you look at it, an’ it’s worse if it’s a classmate.”

“That’s true. I think Yosuke was just thinking we might have to be prepared to go in after Naoto if he has disappeared,” Yukiko said, dispersing any potential fight.

“Well, I think, if we can, we should go into the TV and do some training, just in case. We haven’t been in for a while and I don’t want to lose my edge if we do have to battle a big bad again,” Chie crossed her arms and nodded, as if approving her own idea.

“I think we shouldn’t go into that world unless we know for sure we’re going to have to later,” Yukiko said slowly. “It’s really dangerous there. We shouldn’t take unnecessary risks.”

The group seemed to deflate a little, but everyone had to agree with that. They had talked it over, and it had seemed there was a mutual consensus that Kubo had only killed Morooka. Still, if they didn’t need to go into that world, they shouldn’t. It was a waiting game now.

Souji agreed to ask about Naoto and would text the Team if Naoto had shown up fine and healthy for work. If not, they’d all watch the TV to make sure the Midnight Channel didn’t air.

 

 

Doujima didn’t come home for dinner that night. He did, however, call, to personally break the heart of his daughter. Nanako, the pigtailed angel, put up a good show of not being bothered. To keep from walking to the precinct and murdering Doujima, Souji practiced meditation the only way he knew how--by counting the ways he could murder Doujima. While Souji had first felt a growing sense of respect for his cop uncle the first few months he was in Inaba, that had slowly started to mold into spite and disgust. Souji wondered if people would see him from the outside and think he was a family guy. He wasn’t a family guy. He was a Nanako guy, and if anyone else had broken Nanako’s heart so often, anyone besides her own father, Souji would have beat them to a pulp and drag them behind a street bike. The problem was, only family could break a little girl’s heart that often and that bad. And that left Souji with no outlet for his anger.

Doujima not being home also meant Souji couldn’t ask him about Naoto. Souji sent out a message to the Team, telling them that and that, in the meantime they should watch for the Midnight Channel, just to be safe, and Souji would try to ask his uncle the next day. He received acknowledgement texts from everyone and a “poor Nanako” from Yosuke, who had witnessed Nanako’s disappointedness first-hand.

Souji put Nanako to bed, reading her a “beginning readers” chapter book about the Color Ranging Rangers, or whatever. Even after all that time, he still couldn’t get their names right, but it made Nanako giggle when he made mistakes, and politely correct him, so he never bothered to fix it.

Souji went upstairs to his bedroom and checked outside his window. He’d thought he’d heard a trickle of rain when he was putting Nanako to bed, and outside was a drizzle. It couldn’t be called real rain, but he felt his heart speed up, just an itty bit, and the thought that the Midnight Channel might air.

Souji was reading a book from the Man series when he heard the door downstairs open. It was almost eleven-thirty. Doujima had actually come home, but late. Souji listened for the telltale gruff throat clearing and the sound of Doujima getting ready for sleep, but didn’t hear any of it. Instead, he heard a short swear word as someone kicked their way to the light switch the weren’t quite sure about the location of.

Souji sighed and got out of bed in his sweats and shirt. He walked downstairs, quiet not to wake up Nanako.

“Adachi-san,” Souji raised an eyebrow at the hunched over back of the disheveled detective who was holding his big toe. “Need ice?”

“N-no, I’m good, thanks, Souji-kun,” Adachi waved at him weakly, bouncing a tiny bit on one foot. He was holding a bag with something in it.

“Why are you here? Doujima called earlier and knew I was here.”

“I’m here to get him a change of clothes and ask you to make Nanako breakfast tomorrow,” Adachi limped over to the end of the kitchen counter and put the bag on it.

Souji didn’t have a very keen sense of smell, but the reek of bullshit was strong.

“I could have been asleep,” he stated. What Yosuke had said about Adachi before popped up in the back of Souji’s mind, a dull warning light going off. Don’t say too much, get as much as you can.

“I knew you wouldn’t be.”

“Nanako always makes breakfast,” Souji crossed his arms and peered at Adachi cooly. “Doujima knows that.”

“I-I’m just following my superior’s orders. If it really bothers you, though, I won’t come anymore. I’ll tell Doujima you have everything covered.”

Dirty. There was no way Adachi could think it didn’t bother Souji. But if the Team really was going to do more investigation, Souji may have more late nights out, and Adachi might be useful to have around then.

Souji shrugged. “I don’t care.”

Adachi seemed to prickle at that. Souji watched, interested, at the unusual reaction.

“Am I that much like my uncle when I say that,” he took a wild guess.

Adachi looked away, smiling with a tinge of bitterness. “Naw, you have wide shoulders for a high-school kid, though. Makes you look older than you are.”

So, that was it? That was the reason Adachi had come to the Doujima residence at 11:30 at night? No, it couldn’t be something as simple as a booty call. Souji walked towards Adachi, felt Adachi stiffen when he got close, then smoothly slid sideways past Adachi to the kitchen cabinets, getting himself a glass for water and a “Adachi’s” mug. It was his chance to ask about Naoto, so he’d take it.

“Still working hard to outdo the teenaged detective, huh?”

There was a moment of silence, and Souji smiled slightly to himself because he could anger or embarrass Adachi at the same time that he got information from him.

Souji dropped the mug when he felt a hand wrap around his mouth from behind, and a hand shot out quickly around him to catch the mug right before it hit the countertop.

“Now, now, you’ll wake Nanako-chan if you go around dropping dishes, Souji-kun,” Adachi whispered into his ear. Souji heard so many emotions in it, it was impossible to decipher them. Souji was unable to respond because Adachi’s hands were pressed so tightly that he could feel his teeth pressing into his lips. He hadn’t even heard Adachi sneak up on him.

Souji was angry.

He reached out and took the mug from Adachi’s left hand, placing it on the counter. With his right hand, he peeled two of Adachi’s fingers off his mouth as if he was holding something dirty and trying to touch it the least he could before dumping it in the bin.

When he peeled Adachi’s fingers away enough to speak, it came out low and surprisingly dangerous, and just a bit gruff, like his uncle.

“It’s so kind of you to suddenly worry about that. It never seemed to bother you before. You’ve matured, Adachi.”

That was it. The last straw. The spark to light the forest fire. The cut before the infection.

Souji’s lower half was slammed against the counter, his upper back pushed into the long sink faucet. Souji could feel a spread of cold where excess water was seeping into the back of his shirt and could feel the saliva on his face from where Adachi had licked before shoving his tongue into Souji’s mouth. It caught Souji so off guard that he let Adachi in, let him feel the ridges on Souji’s molars. But only for a moment. Never, never…

 

Souji shoved Adachi away from him with a violent force. Enough to make Adachi stagger two steps back.

Adachi wiped at his mouth and grinned a little madly. Souji stared him down with all the hatred of being abandoned in a small town by his parents, all the hatred of watching his precious niece abandoned by his uncle, all the hatred of a weak will that paraded as freedom and independence and…

Adachi stared pointedly at Souji’s pants. Souji had lost this bout.

“I take it your Junes boy is still holding out on you, eh?”

And Adachi was closer again, close enough to smell instant ramen on his breath, but then Adachi was lowering himself onto his knees.

“ I’ll spoil you a little tonight. Because I feel so bad for you. Such a good kid lovestruck over his oblivious straight best friend. It’s so sad. Pathetic, almost. Just another strike society will throw at you. Eventually it’ll beat you down or you’ll learn to take the punches, maybe even enjoy them if you become an ‘upstanding adult’,” Adachi chatted up at Souji, pulling Souji’s sweatpants down. “But for now, I’ll let you focus on this.”

“Don’t worry,” Adachi crooned, wrapping fingers around Souji’s thighs, “there’s no ‘bromance’ or ‘partner’ here,” he smiled and then swallowed Souji to the hilt.

Souji, against every ounce of his will, let out a short, low moan. Adachi, toying, let Souji slide out of his mouth, and hovered, the hot air from his breath simultaneously heating and cooling the tip of Souji’s cock. Souji realized the situation he was in and what he should do in it.

And did the complete opposite.

Souji grabbed his cock in one hand, knotted his other hand into Adachi’s messy hair, and pulled Adachi’s head down, thrusting into Adachi’s mouth. Adachi gagged for a split second, but then the gag turned into a whine, the whine, and Souji knew he wouldn’t last long. Adachi, with some respect, took it like a champ. His alien eyes were, thankfully, closed tight, and Souji could focus on the feeling of lips around him and rough brown hair in his hands. Adachi grasped the back of Souji’s thighs and moved his head with Souji’s guiding. Souji felt the pressure build up, up. Adachi’s fingers dug into Souji’s legs and the combination of dull pain and pleasure pushed Souji to the edge. He yanked back Adachi’s head, just in time, and came, covering Adachi’s left cheek.

Souji breathed deeply, trying to even his breath. Adachi put three fingers up to his cheek and wiped away the cum. He looked at it, smirking, because he had won that round. He and Souji both knew it.

Souji recovered himself quickly. “I guess you don’t want tea then. Clean the floor and lock the door behind you when you leave.”

Adachi saluted Souji goofily, but his eyes, as wide as they were, had a sharp edge to them. “By the way,” he said, “I brought a cake for Nanako. It’s in the bag.”

Souji paused on his way out of the kitchen. He didn’t turn around though. “Put it in the fridge. I’m sure she’ll want to share it with her dad tomorrow.”

Souji retreated up the stairs. He could feel Adachi’s eyes following him.He knew him leaving before would reinforce Adachi’s victory, but he couldn’t stand looking at the man for one more second. He hoped his last remark cut Adachi down, if only slightly. He threw the covers back on his futon and threw himself down on it. He listened but could only faintly hear the door close over the more solid patter of rain.

Rain....fuck.

Souji rummaged for his phone. He found it hiding in the fold of his blanket. It was flashing. 7 new messages.

There was no time to curse everyone’s mother because his phone rang. Yosuke. Of course.

“Dude! Where have you been? I sent you like three messages. Did you watch the Midnight Channel?”

Souji couldn’t really say he’d been in the process of receiving a violent blow job instead, so he made up an excuse about Nanako waking up and feeling sick. Even though Souji didn’t believe in luck or fate, he immediately hoped he hadn’t just jinxed Nanako, like that would ever happe--

“Really? I hope she’s okay. Not to be a dick, but, we’ve got some additional stuff to worry about.”

So Naoto had made it onto the channel. Souji had kinda figured as much. Or had he hoped for it? Either way, they’d have to go in to get him.

“Naoto--”

“Was there a sign that Naoto had been in there for a long time? Anything he said or anythign?”

“I don’t think so...shit, I hadn’t even thought of that. But it didn’t seem like it. It was weird. He was wearing a lab coat or something and talking about transformation or something? It seemed pretty dang off the deep end. None of the others could really figure it out either. We should go into the TV tomorrow, right? I guess we can’t skip school…”

Everyone skipping school at once would be suspicious, and if the cops had any kind of suspicion against them, with Naoto disappearing and showing up on the TV, they might find cops busting down their doors (or coming home late to dinner in Souji’s case) if they didn’t show up at school and act normal. Souji said this to Yosuke and Yosuke said he’d relay the message to everyone else. They’d meet first thing after school at Junes, in the food court, and they’d need to be ready to possibly battle the person (if it even was a person) who was responsible for all the shit they’d gone through, not to mention murders. Yosuke agreed.

“Partner, one last thing…”

Souji waited. He could feel a nervous tension in the cell phone waves.

“I...if something happens to me….”

“Yosuke?”

“Y-yeah?”

“Shut up.”

There was a second of silence and then Yosuke burst out laughing. It was an oddly deep laugh that lilted into a few snorts, and Souji found himself cracking too. He snickered and tried not to laugh too loud for Nanako’s sake. Yosuke wheezed a few times and Souji could easily picture him wiping the corners of his eyes and grinning that completely dorky grin.

“See you tomorrow, Partner.”

“Yeah.”

Souji let Yosuke hang up first and then put his phone down on his pillow. He made sure the volume was up and added the vibration to the message alerts. Just in case. He’d keep it with him from now on, so that even the random fanciful fellation wouldn’t get in the way of solving a murder and possibly the biggest thing he’d ever do in his life.

 

The Team gathered the next day after school, and Souji watched them all carefully. Rise and Yukiko were nervous, Chie was raring for a fight or at least putting up a good front, Yosuke was wary but ready to go, Teddy was...Teddy, and while Kanji wasn’t a man of too many words, Souji had never seen him so quiet. He was like a hand grenade waiting for someone to pull the pin.

They steeled themselves and jumped head first into the TV. This time, in the area with the TVs and body outlines, Souji made the executive decision to take Kanji and Yosuke with him and to have Yukiko tag along to wait somewhere safe as backup, in case she was needed. Chie and Teddy would wait at the entrance and Rise would be their guide. They gathered and gave eachother words of encouragement, Chie hugging Yukiko tight, and Teddy trying to get between them, then readied themselves.

There was only one problem.

They had no idea where Naoto was. Previously, when people had shown up on the Midnight Channel, the Team had been able to enter the TV and a new area for them to explore would show up, theoretically created by the person who had been thrown in the TV. But when they checked, there was only the nega-Inaba, princess castle, nudie bar, and the gaycuzzi house. There was nowhere new for them to go.

“Huh,” Yosuke said flatly. Well, shit, thought Souji.

After conferring, Rise confirmed that she couldn’t get readings of anyone else or any particularly strong shadows. Teddy backed up the second part. They decided to explore the castle and the nudie bar just in case, but a few floors in on each and they could tell Naoto wasn’t there. So, where the fuck was he?

They left the TV, confused and nervous and, Souji noticed, just a bit let down, besides for Kanji, who was chewing on the skin around his nails.

“Okay, we’re gonna have to do this the old-fashioned way and hit the pavement,” Yosuke concluded in the Junes food court. “Anyone have any ideas where to start?”

Everyone looked at Kanji.

“What the hell you lookin’ at me for?! I ain’t got any info on the guy!”

“We just thought...you know,” Yosuke sighed.

“No, I don’t know,” Kanji cracked his knuckles.

“Well, like, since you might have a crush on him or whatever, we thought you might be useful for info, but you’d obviously be the worst stalker ever, so nevermind,” Yosuke sighed again.

Kanji gaped, bright red. Souji could almost swear he saw the steam coming out of Kanji’s ears, and waited for Yukiko or Rise to step in. It was Yukiko’s turn.

“Kanji-kun, Yosuke wasn’t saying there is anything wrong with you potentially liking Naoto-kun. We’re all just worried and want to find him and bring him back to safety. You’re the same, correct?”

That sweet voice held a sharp undertone of warning and everyone seemed to back up and simmer down. That was the magic of Yukiko. Giggle goofball idiot, Japanese beauty, and Fire Queen, all rolled up into one cardigan-clad package. Souji found himself nodding slightly in approval.

Everyone seemed to deflate collectively then immediately gain momentum again as they agreed it would be best to split up and ask around town. They had to avoid the police station and anyone affiliated with it, which would narrow down the info they could get to nearly zilch but they’d have to figure it out or Naoto would wind up hanging like mistletoe from an antennae soon. They agreed to spread out immediately. Yosuke would stay and cover the Junes area, Chie head to the river bank/school area to ask students and people around there, Yukiko would go to the shopping district, Kanji would go to the shrine area, and Souji would go to the actual school to ask students and teachers, since he had such good report at the school, and pretty much everywhere, but he couldn’t be everywhere at once.

Everyone went on their ways. Souji hefted his “kendo club” case (less suspicious if a high school kid was carrying that around than a bare steel sword) over his shoulder and took off for Yasogami High.

“Partner,” Souji turned, halfway across the food court. Yosuke jogged up to him. “You didn’t get anything out of your uncle or Adachi last night? Nothing at all? Should we try to find Adachi and see if he spills anything?”

Souji gapped a bit and clamped his mouth shut. He’d almost thought everyone had forgotten about it.

“Uncle didn’t come home last night, so I think they know Naoto is gone. I think we should stay as far away from the cops as possible right now. We don’t want to bring any more suspicion on ourselves,” Souji said slowly.

“Right. Okay, let’s get going. We have a high school detective to save!” Yosuke put out a fist and Souji (cringing inwardly) bumped it. He felt the momentary warmth of Yosuke’s skin and then it was gone and they were heading different directions, to try to do as much as they could to save a life before school the next day.

 

They met on the rooftop for lunch the next day and everyone shared what they’d found out, which, wasn’t very much, but it was pretty interesting dirt.

Souji had just gotten a tidbit from a girl at school, but Chie and Yukiko had gotten the real shit. Turned out a lot of the cops had thought Naoto was crazy because of his obsession with the case and insistence that there was something more to it. It also turned out that Adachi wasn’t the only one who didn’t think highly of the pint-high detective. Most of the precinct felt the same way and treated Naoto for what he was--very intelligent, but a kid nonetheless. After all, what right had a high school kid to come in and think he could take over a serial murder case in a city that had nothing to do with him? Right?

Things were starting to make more sense about Naoto. His standoffishness, his willingness to spend any time outside of the station in the library, and his insistence on wearing that dumb hat. He probably thought it made him look more like a detective.

The Team had a lot more info on what other people thought of Naoto, but what did Naoto think of other people? It was time to check the TV again and see if they could find any more hints there. Yosuke wasn’t able to get out of his part-time work that day and Yukiko had koto lessons she had to show up to, so they reluctantly agreed to meet the next day, immediately after school. They were discussing who should go into ‘battle’ this time when Souji felt his phone vibrate.

A mail. From Touru Adachi.

Doujima-san asked me to ask you to look after Nanako-chan tonight.

Souji typed a quick reply while Yukiko and Chie were arguing about Yukiko staying out of the fights this time.

Did something happen at the precinct? He typed with as much formality as possible. If anyone else were to read these messages, he didn’t want anything hinting at anything else.

Just an incident with some personnel. Don’t worry, we won’t bump into each other tonight.

Especially not the fact that Adachi had sucked his dick the last time they’d “bumped” into each other.

Tell Doujima he’s missing Nanako’s croquettes. And to send his messages himself.

Oh no, not the crab cream croquettes?! He’ll be heartbroken.

Good, Souji thought.

I mean, I’d kill a man for those, you know, if I weren’t a detective and all that. I’d drop the soap in jail for them if they came with some of Nanako’s hamburg steak though.

“Partner, what the hell are you grinning at on your phone?”

Souji flipped his phone shut with a snap.

Souji apologized and reported that Nanako had made cookies at school today and that she wanted to tell everyone hello. The group all grinned and made him promise to greet her for them. When he promised, they got back down to business.

 

A secret base was not what they were expecting. In Souji’s opinion, it looked more like an army bunker, but he wasn’t going to publicly ruin Yosuke’s, Teddie’s, and Chie’s excitement. Rise reminded the three that they were there to find Naoto, on an unsure time limit, and that sobered them up pretty damn fast. Leave it to idols to impart harsh reality. Kanji growled a low agreement. Souji glanced at him and was shocked. What he saw on Kanji’s face wasn’t anger or determination, it was something more vulnerable--probably of the worry variety.

The only thing that made Teddie more of a bonde teddie bear than Kanji was the fact that he literally, physically, was a teddie bear. Or, an anthropomorphic one? Whatever the fuck Teddie was, Kanji was far more of a softy. Souji suddenly had the urge to find Naoto, if only to see what Kanji’s reaction would be when they did. The fact that he had immediately assumed they would find Naoto alive was either a good sign or a bad one. Pretty soon Souji would be turning into stuffed fluff and kitten keychains too if he kept up at it.

As the others marched forward, Souji laid a hand on Kanji’s shoulder lightly. Kanji seemed to startle and stared at Souji, wide-eyed. Souji didn’t exactly know what he should say to relieve Kanji and endear him to Souji at that moment, so he opted for silence.

Kanji looked away, frowning.

“I know, okay. We’ll find him and get him out of there.”

Sure, that worked.

Souji smiled and asked the best question he could think of. “You ready to fight?”

Kanji grinned and cracked his knuckles, and, for once, Souji could see Kanji beating the shit out of someone in a dark alley, opting for bare fists instead of a baseball bat. Souji felt a small thrill drill its way down his spine. He slapped Kanji on the back and they caught up with the others, verifying the escape plan and what to do if anything went wrong.

Chie, Teddie, and Yosuke would stay behind. Yukiko was necessary for her healing prowess as they were all knew the chances of there being serious fighting was high. Kanji was coming, for reasons no one had to voice. Rise got into her guide mode and Yukiko hugged Chie. Kanji led the way through the doors of the secret base.

Right before he went in, Souji felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Yosuke, chewing on his lip.

“The person behind this might actually be in there this time if Naoto’s there.”

Souji nodded.

“I...I know Kanji needs to go but I’m not used to not going with you.” And Souji realized that was true. Almost every time, he’d opted to take Yosuke over anyone else. “Just...be careful, yeah?”

Souji smiled his charming smile. Yosuke blushed in the only appropriate response to Souji’s charming smile. Then Souji sobered it up and nodded, serious, before he turned to follow Kanji and Yukiko.

“C’mon, Sempai. You gotta lead us,” Kanji called bravely and Souji ran in after them, sword out, only to feel the pound of the heavy metal doors close behind him deep in his chest. That was that.

Yosuke’s Inaba had been unsettling, like something in an eerie dream, the castle had been like the dream of a demented young girl, the...gentlemen’s club something out of a twisted wet dream, and the bathhouse something from a closeted kid’s dream, and Kubo’s game world, well, it was a game world, it had practically sweated teenage-boy. The whole secret base thing also seemed to scream kid. It was something a kid would think was the ultimate cool. Metal, multi-locking doors that open automatically, vaguely military-esque emblems--it was all something a kid would imagine while playing spy. That said, it was probably the most disturbing place they’d entered so far, if only because it was fairly...normal. It really could have been a military base, an abandoned, old, shitty one from an old war, but it could have been. Besides for the random shadows and the random taunts from what was probably Naoto’s shadow, letting them know the pint-sized Sherlock was still alive.

The random power tool noises were getting a bit freaky though. Souji took it as a sign they were getting closer. Yukiko had the determination of someone doing something they think is right and think they should do, Kanji had the drive of puppy love and, Souji had to admit it, Kanji was probably the most justice-driven one in the group. So he had that going for him. If it didn’t get him killed someday.

Yeah, Souji thought as another door opened for them and they made their way down another floor lower, Yosuke would be a good detective but Kanji would be a great cop.

“Shit,” Kanji cursed as they opened another door and ran into...whatever the hell that was.

It had been some kind of machine. With Kanji helping him attack and Yukiko providing backup, they took it out fairly easily. They weren’t so banged up they’d have to go back and rest before continuing. Souji didn’t even want to suggest it from the look on Kanji’s face. They made their way down another floor and the power tool noises became louder and clearer. Along with...some pretty damn cartoon-villain-level maniacal shit.

Which, of course, was coming from Naoto’s shadow self. Which they ran into way sooner than Souji had expected when they entered Oddjob’s secret base.

It was...pretty twisted.

It looked like the Naoto they all didn’t-know-too-well and only-kanji-loved was strapped down to a medical table. Shadow Naoto was standing near him, laughing like an evil idiot, what looked like a bone saw and electric skull saw within reach. This was some pretty serious kink play.

“Oh, I see you’ve made it,” the shadow sneered at them, “and so timely. It’s only been, what, two days? I thought you idiots actually had all this figured out, but you’re just neighborhood kids playing Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys. It’s okay though, it took a little time for me to correctly manifest. You wouldn’t believe how stubborn I am.” It sneered down at Naoto on the table that time.

First of all, who the hell were Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys and where was Naoto ordering his lab coats from, because that shit was way too big on him. He practically swam in it.

“We’re taking you back, Naoto,” Kanji spoke up first, bravely. His voice was only half-shaking.

“Ah. Kanji Tatsumi, was it? I’ll give you a pass because you seem like the dullest one of the group, but can’t you see? It really should be clear enough for even you to comprehend.”

“S-see what?” Kanji growled man-ily.

“This is what I, Naoto Shirogane, want. I live every day in pain. Suffering from the idiotic adults around me who can’t see what I can do--the veritable ocean of things I could contribute--merely because I’m a “child” in their eyes. Look at me. I got this far. They don’t even really believe the killer is still out there, but I figured it out. Did they listen to me? No. But now they will. Now they can.”

“Naoto-kun, w-what are you saying,” Yukiko piped up.

“Yukiko Amagi. Heiress to the Amagi Inn. Polite, refined, but stifled. You could be a fine suspect.”

“I would nev--”

“No, you wouldn’t. Too many eyes on you. And you don’t have the backbone for it. You don’t have the personality.”

Naoto ignored Yukiko’s flare of anger and turned to Kanji and Souji.

“I’m fast, you know. Efficient, despite this small body. I’ve studied you. I’ve studied all of you. Kanji Tatsumi, known high school delinquent with no known delinquent record. You’re quite the job, aren’t you. It must be a compulsive need for people to respect you and see you as someone not to bother. I wonder if that’s to hide your true personality. I’ve seen the crochet kittens in your bag. Pink? Really? It’s so cliche it’s cute. What would you do if everyone found out? Now, they avoid or ignore you. When you speak they listen. What would you do if you didn’t even have the respect their weariness and fear creates?”

“That’s not what I think!” Naoto yelled from where he was strapped down. “I don’t gather evidence for things like this! This isn’t me!”

Kanji took it well, and by ‘well’ it meant he didn’t shout and threaten to beat the shit out of Naoto. He merely balled up his fists and gritted his teeth next to Souji. Souji could see him slump slightly though when the shadow turned its yellow gaze on Souji slowly. It seemed to evaluate him for a minute, Naoto struggling on the table.

“Souji Seta. You were a hard one. No prior record in Inaba. I had to really dig for you. It seems you’ve turned over a new leaf and developed a rather wholesome lifestyle after your markedly not wholesome one in Tokyo. Quite a record for a high school boy. You’re the real threat. The most likely to be the suspect of your social group. I am 97.8 percent sure you haven’t revealed your past record to your current acquaintances. And all of the good deeds? You are repenting for something. Or, you are covering something up. Yourself up. You live with Detective Doujima. He’s a respectable man, but he’s blinded by limitations he sets in his own vision in relation to cases. It must be difficult, living with a detective and having to take care with all of your actions so that your friends won’t know your past. And then there’s the other thing. Yosuke Hanamura, was it?”

“Naoto-kun, what is it that you want? What can we do to help you,” Yukiko spoke up.

The shadow didn’t even bother looking at her. “You? Help me? You’re high school students. You can’t help anyone. You can’t solve a case. That’s what they tell me. But look how good I am at my job.”

Naoto stared Souji straight down with those yellow eyes and they seemed to glow. “I wasn’t sure about it, at first, but I know, personally, about wanting people to accept you, Souji Seta. I tailed you. I’ve seen Yosuke Hanamura--”

“Naoto,” Kanji growled, breaking in with his trademark anger. Everyone seemed to jump like they had forgotten Kanji could speak. “Whatever it is you want to be, we can’t help you be it, but we’ll accept you as you are. Right now.”

The shadow turned to look at Kanji. It stared at him for a moment, before throwing back it’s head and laughing suddenly. Deep and high laughter that seemed to waver between pitches. Naoto squirmed on the table beneath the shadow, like its laughter was painful.

“No, I will fix this myself. I will become what they will respect. I will become older. I will become a man. I’ve tried to play it off so far, but after this procedure, they won’t be able to ignore me! They won’t brush me off every again!” the shadow picked up a particularly nasty looking instrument that began to spin.

“No! This isn’t what I want,” Naoto screamed from the table. “You’re not me, Noato’s voice cracked and turned into a high pitched cry.”

Souji could practically feel the ‘what the fuck’ from Kanji next to him. He could see Yukiko realize it at the same time he did.

“Naoto...chan,” Yukiko said carefully.

“But not for long,” the shadow said offhandedly. “Good, now you will be able to comprehend the magnitude of the procedure. You may stay and watch or you may leave. It won’t affect the procedure if you stay, but you’ll have to remain where you are. Yes, it may be good for people to witness my transformation into a great detective!”

“No! No, no, no, no!” Naoto screamed.

Kanji’s jaw would have to be swept off the floor later, Souji noted.

“Naoto, you can’t deny your shadow. It’s part of you,” Souji spoke for the first time. “If you accept these facts, we can guide you out of here and you can report your findings to the precinct,” Souji tried to appeal to Naoto’s logical side.”

“You here that? He’s trying to say we can go to the precinct in this child’s body and tell them we were taken by the murderer! They’d never believe me as I am!”

“No! That’s not what I think! I can explain it, I have proof, and--”

“I have everything I need to be a great detective except age and gender. I can fix this now! I can be great!”

“No! No!”

“I won’t have to be like these liars,” the shadows eyes seemed to capture Souji, Kanji, and Yukiko at once.

“No! NO! Help me! Help me!”

The screams from Naoto were mixing with the shadows deep and high voice and it felt like three people were screaming in that laboratory, the squeal of the power tool in the shadow’s hand growing louder as it started to lean over Naoto.

“No!” Yukiko shouted.

“Naoto!” Souji even heard himself yell.

“No, No, no, this isn’t me! Save me! Help me! KANJI TATSUMI, SAVE ME! NO! YOU’RE NOT ME!”

Kanji lunged for the table as the famous words rang out and sparks flew as the shadow transformed.

 

Naoto’s shadow was, compared to some of the others easy to beat (Souji’d rather be fucked in the ass with a baseball bat than fight Teddie’s shadow again, and that was saying something, since he liked fighting so much and, occasionally, didn’t mind an object in his ass).

In the end, he and Kanji were easily able to carry Naoto out between them, Kanji being extremely conscientious about where he was putting his hands. Souji really hadn’t expected Naoto’s reveal, and that was impressive in of itself. He had to give the...young detective a round of applause for keeping that one under wraps and doing it so well. Souji wondered if Kanji was relieved that Naoto was a girl, even if she wasn’t. That could mean that Kanji was perfectly straight, knitting and kittens aside, except for the fact that Kanji was crushing on Naoto when he thought Naoto was a guy, and, no matter what, that’s pretty gay.

Man, there group had a lot of unresolved sexual tension and inclinations. It was almost like they were teenagers with raging hormones in a town with nothing to do and no outlet for their confusion or exploration.

Well, maybe they weren’t all confused, judging by the intense hug Yukiko received from Chie and the small kiss on the cheek Chie received in turn. Good for them. Girls getting what they want. Or something. Souji was glad that was going somewhere, cuz he obviously wasn’t at the moment. He had gotten a very awkward hug that had been separated by a bro fist.

“We should call the police,” Yukiko reminded them all.

“No…I don’t think that’d be the best bet” Yosuke interjected thoughtfully. “They may already suspect us. If we take Naoto to them now, they’ll probably detain us on the spot. I think we should leave Naoto at the precinct. On the steps or something, iunno, and go home as fast as we can. But that’s just me. What do you think, Partner?”

That probably was the best move. They could take him to the hospital, but that was all the way across town and there was no way they wouldn’t be seen dragging an unconscious body between them at some point. It would be better to drop Naoto at the precinct where, if they did get caught, they could act like they were doing citizenly duty by bringing the random unconscious student they found on the street to the police. Souji agreed and they all planned the least conspicuous way to the precinct. After they did so, Kanji and Yukiko came over while the others were talking and sidled up to Souji.

“Sempai,” Kanji cleared his throat, “I just want to thank you for doing this. For saving Naoto. And for letting me be there to help. And...I want you to know that, what the shadow said in there, I ain’t gonna tell no-one nothing unless you want me to, and I’ll take it to my grave if you never do. I know you’d do the same for me, so that’s the least I could do.”

Shit, was Kanji--was that a tear? And Yukiko was standing next to him, righteous and determined and nodding aggressively in agreement. “The same goes for me, Souji. You dont have to worry about my discretion.”

Souji literally had zero idea what to do, so he smiled a small smile that would say he had confidence and thanked them. Then they went back to Naoto. Yosuke took over the hauling of Naoto to give Souji a rest, the girls agreed to go home because the more people they had, the more they would stand out, and Kanji took the other half of Naoto’s weight, insisting on it even though he had done the most work during the fight with Naoto’s shadow. Maybe because he had. No matter what, Souji was happy to not have to drag half of Naoto around, even if he--she? guess they’d have to figure out what Naoto wanted with that because Souji wasn’t gonna get into that mess--didn’t weigh much more than a sack of rice.

The girls left and Souji and his group headed off, dragging Naoto away from the food court, Yosuke leading the way to scout.

“Oh, Souji-kun?”

Souji froze and Kanji froze a half a step later, leaving them slightly unbalanced. Slowly, with an increasing feeling of fuuuuuuck, Souji turned his head to see Adachi exiting out the side entrance of Junes, carrying a bag of cabbages. Who the fuck was in Junes at this time of--it was 8o’clock, but still, everyone in Inaba was at home by now. Except overworking, single detectives. Right. But still, who went to supermarket to buy just a bag of cabbage? What the fuck was Adachi’s damage?

“Adachi-san!” Souji feigned relieved surprise. “We were going to the precinct right now. Could you call ahead or help us? This is a new student at our school. I think he’s the detective you work with? His name is Naoto. We found Naoto-kun laying on the ground behind Junes when we were going to go visit Yosuke.”

Souji nodded at Kanji and they turned around, Naoto between them, so Adachi could see. Adachi’s eyes widened like saucers and he nearly dropped his cabbage. He ran up to them, peering at Naoto. “He--is he alive?” Adachi’s voice had mild panic in it.

“Yeah, but can you call his parents or something to get him? He’s not bleeding and there aren’t any wounds. His breathing seems fine too, but he’s really light. Skin and bones. I think he might have passed out from exhaustion or malnutrition. You and Uncle are always overworking yourselves. Maybe he couldn’t take it.”

“Y-yeah. Right. That could be it. Hold on, I’ll bring my car up and I can get him to the precinct and the hospital.” Adachi gave Souji and Kanji a weird look, then disappeared. He came back three minutes later with his squad car.

“Kanji, stay here. I’ll put Naoto in the car with Adachi,” Souji ordered. Kanji looked shocked, even betrayed, but he nodded. “Thanks,” Souji said.

Adachi ran up and Souji and took Naoto from Kanji and, with Adachi, carried Naoto to the car. When Adachi had settled Naoto in and was putting the seatbelt on for Noato, Souji leaned in, close to Adachi’s back placing just three fingers lightly on Adachi’s hip.

“I can’t afford anything else on my record. I don’t care what you have to do, what lie you have to make up. If you tell Doujima me or my friends were involved in any way with an unconscious detective, or whatever case Naoto almost killed himself solving, I will tell Doujima about you. And what you do to me.”

Souji felt Adachi’s body go rigid under his fingertips, but he couldn’t see Adachi’s expression and that made him anxious for some reason. Adachi was a blabbermouth and a creep, but he was at least smart enough to realize that Doujima would sooner believe his own blood, a teenager nonetheless, accusing a loser detective of molestation, than he would a loser detective insisting he was being falsely accused. Either way, it would come out that Adachi had been having sex with Souji. While it would cause Souji a lot of damage too--he’d probably be sent to a boarding school somewhere in Hokkaido and be confined to his room--it wouldn’t affect him nearly as much as it would affect a professional adult.  
Adachi stood up and Souji stepped back. Without looking at Souji, Adachi started chuckling. It was silent at first, small hiccupy movements, then Adachi had his head against the roof of the squad car and was laughing like a hyena in short, sharp, loud bursts. Souji backed away another step, wariness filling him up from his cold feet to his head.

Adachi turned and flashed Souji a grin as he opened his own door and got into the squad car.

“Read you loud and clear, Boss. Now why don’t you go on home and play house with Nanako-chan. Because of you, her dad is going to be spending the night at the station again.”

With that Adachi drove away, Souji watching as the squad car turned on its lights but left its siren off. Souji had almost forgotten Kanji until Kanji came up to him.

“Why was that 5-0 laughing like that? He sounded completely nuts!”

Souji rubbed his shoulder, where the weight of Naoto was present, and watched as the car turned and disappeared. “You probably don’t know, but I tell a really mean joke,” he shrugged, clapping a hand on Kanji’s shoulder, and steering their way toward home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yell at me, send me risque notes, or just follow me on tumblr/twitter:
> 
> schumie.tumblr.com
> 
> @schumers


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